Dry Vermouth
If you’ve ever had a dry martini, then you are probably already familiar with dry vermouth, because it is quite possibly the drink’s most important ingredient.
There are several types of vermouth available. However the dry variety is easy to find because it is characterized by its white color.
The fortified wine contains a maximum of 5% residual sugar, and is usually 36 proof, or 18% alcohol.
Dry vermouth, which is mostly a product of France, is most often created by distilling, infusing, or macerating the wine with spices, herb, and caramel, as well as a list of other ingredients.
While you’ll most often find dry vermouth as an ingredient in such favorites as the ever popular martini, the fortified wine can also consumed as an aperitif or even enjoyed all by itself.
There are several brands of dry vermouth to choose from. Each offers its own unique flavor and history, making choosing a favorite quite difficult.
Cinzano’s dry vermouth is known to have a delicate flavor. Although Cinzano is a wonderful drink ingredient, it is also recommended that this brand of dry vermouth be consumed on the rocks or straight up in order to appreciate its classic flavor.
Martini & Rossi is perhaps the most well-known of the vermouth brands. The brand’s Extra Dry vermouth has been around for more than 100 years, having seen its launch in 1900 on New Year’s Day. Martini and Rossi has actually been in the dry vermouth game longer than that. It is known that the company has actually been experimenting with producing the fortified wine in foreign countries since 1890. This brand’s version has a sharper perfume, is straw colored, and offers hints of iris, lemon, and raspberry. You can be sure that you’ll get the dry flavor you crave without the bitter aftertaste.
Another type of dry vermouth is offered by Noily Prat. This brand has been producing dry vermouth since its very first production in Marseillan, France in 1813. Today the French vermouth is the best selling in the world. This is probably due largely in part to the complex process used to create the vermouth. A secret blend of herbs from five different continents is used during the lengthy, tree-year process, during which one of the year’s finds the dry vermouth aging outdoors in barrels for a year. It has been said that Noilly Prat’s vermouth, which is also a fabulous cooking ingredient, was the first to be used when creating a martini. Some say that Imported Stock Extra Dry Vermouth is among the highest quality brands around. It is so clear you might think you are drinking water, and its dry flavor is natural. It also has a naturally low sugar content. This brand of dry vermouth is created with a secret blend of more than 50 botanicals, giving it a subtle, dry flavor that is good for not only drink recipes, but also for cooking.
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