When is a vermouth not real vermouth? asked M. Carrie Allan in The Washington Post. European makers insist that any aperitif bearing the label must contain wormwood, but the plant is so heavily regulated in America that craft producers here often substitute a related herb like mugwort. For consumers, what matters most is that vermouth options are gleefully proliferating.
Carpano’s Antica Formula($33). The arrival of this Italian vermouth rewrote expectations about what vermouth can be. You’ll be “struck by its lushness” and “its rich notes of vanilla and spice.”
Uncouth Vermouth ($35). Brooklyn’s Uncouth promotes variety, making vermouths in flavors like apple-mint and beet-eucalyptus.
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Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth($26). In a martini, it tastes like a mix of dry and sweet vermouth. As an aperitif, this Oregon product is “odd but tasty,” with “a softly bitter finish.”
