Got a bottle of vermouth to use up? Here are all the best vermouth cocktails worth making, using both the sweet red and dry white varieties.
Got a bottle of vermouth to use up? I’ve got answers. This fortified wine is extraordinarily popular in mixed drinks, but it seems to always play second fiddle.
As a cocktail expert, I’ve learned this fortified wine is the quiet hero behind some of the most famous classic cocktails, from the Manhattan to the Negroni, and lots of other fun drinks. So if you’ve got a bottle to use up, you’re in the right place. Here are all the best vermouth cocktails worth trying!
What Is Vermouth?
Vermouth is a fortified wine, or wine with liquor added to stabilize it. It was invented in the 1780’s in Turin, Italy. Today it’s drunk straight as an aperitif, or mixed in cocktails like the Negroni and Manhattan. There are two main types of vermouth: sweet (usually red) and dry (usually white). The dry variety is also used in cooking as you would a white wine.
Vermouth needs to stay cold for storage, so make sure to refrigerate it! It stays good in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
The best brands of vermouth? I like Martini & Rossi for sweet red, and Dolin for dry white.
What Does Vermouth Taste Like?
The flavor of vermouth depends on the type. Here’s what you can expect from the most common varieties:
- Sweet vermouth is subtly sweet and spicy, with a hint of bitter on the finish. The most popular sweet vermouth cocktails are the Negroni, Americano, and Manhattan.
- Dry vermouth has a crisp tart flavor, essentially like a dry white wine. It’s used in martinis, like the Classic Martini and Dirty Martini.
Sweet white and dry red are the most common varieties, but you can also find a gamut of other types: extra dry, sweet white (also called blanc or bianco), amber, and rosé.
How to Drink Vermouth on the Rocks
One more thing before I get to the cocktail recipes. My favorite way to drink vermouth isn’t in a cocktail at all: it’s on the rocks! A few ounces of sweet vermouth poured over one big clear ice cube, plus an orange twist (or a green olive) makes a sophisticated, low-proof drink. I like using a Spanish sweet vermouth for this.
In Spain, la hora del vermut (vermouth hour) is a pre-meal ritual of drinking vermouth (usually over ice with an orange slice and a few olives) with salty snacks before the midday meal. I find that Spanish vermut has a more caramel-forward flavor than Italian, which makes it especially tasty sipped on the rocks. So yes, you can absolutely drink vermouth straight: and I highly recommend it!
The Best Dry and Sweet Vermouth Cocktails
In the list below, I cover all the classic vermouth cocktails (like the Manhattan and Martini), plus some lesser known vermouth drinks. First you’ll see the sweet vermouth cocktails, then dry white vermouth cocktails. (My personal favorites? The Negroni Sbagliato and the Corpse Reviver.)
The best known of all sweet vermouth cocktails is the Manhattan! This sophisticated whiskey drink has a long history and has come back into style. It’s a three ingredient cocktail, but there’s so much going on in one sip! Vanilla, oak and caramel notes from the bourbon, sweet and spicy from the sweet red vermouth, and herby from the bitters.
Variation: Rob Roy Cocktail (with Scotch)
Ingredients: Whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters
Another drink vying for the best of the best sweet vermouth cocktails is Negroni! It’s equal parts refreshing, bitter, and complex: a drink that you’ll want to sit with and savor a while. The bright red of the Campari and sweet vermouth make a stunning jewel-tone statement of a drink. This three ingredient cocktail is easy to make: and memorize, because it uses 1 ounce of each of its three components.
Variations: Negroni Sbagliato, Mezcal Negroni
Ingredients: Gin, Sweet vermouth, Campari
Here’s a light and refreshing classic cocktail that’s perfect for summer afternoons: the Americano cocktail! It’s the original inspiration for the Negroni and is even better, in our opinion. It’s bitter, complex and bubbly all at once! Starring Campari and sweet vermouth, it’s both sophisticated and carefree at the same time.
Ingredients: Campari, sweet vermouth, soda water
Here’s another sweet vermouth cocktail that’s classy and complex: the Martinez! This one is a cousin of the Martini and the Manhattan and there’s so much going on flavor-wise. It’s balanced and just sweet enough, with notes of cherry and cinnamon, and a little spice at the finish. This cocktail hasn’t caught on in the same way as its related drinks, but I personally think it's even tastier.
Ingredients: Gin, sweet vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, bitters
Meet the Negroni Sbagliato, a mixed up version of the classic cocktail using sparkling wine instead of gin. The lightly sweet Prosecco against the bitter Campari and sweet vermouth makes for a better balanced flavor than with gin. This is another one of my personal favorite sweet vermouth cocktails in this entire collection!
Ingredients: Campari, sweet vermouth, sparkling wine
Another favorite vermouth cocktail is the Boulevardier. It’s smooth, rich, spicy, bitter, and warm all at once. The vibrant red jewel tone makes it stunning to look at. It’s essentially a Negroni made with whiskey instead of gin. The sweetness of the bourbon perfectly balances the flavor; in fact, you might even prefer it to the Negroni!
Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey, sweet red vermouth, Campari
If you love a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, it’s safe to say you’ll love this drink too: the Vieux Carre! This unique classic cocktail comes from New Orleans: the name means “French Quarter” in French. It’s strong and alcohol forward, made with not one but two types of bitters. The complex flavor is ideal for whiskey lovers who love to relax with a slow sipper in hand.
Ingredients: rye whiskey, Cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud bitters, Angostura bitters
Here’s a fun vermouth cocktail that will have all your friends talking about it: the Hanky Panky! It’s complex and nuanced, with a smooth flavor perfect for sipping. The star here is Fernet-Branca, an Italian bitter that adds an herbal punch. The cocktail is perfectly balanced: a little sweet and a little bitter, which makes it irresistible.
Ingredients: Gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet Branca
This drink is named for the colors of glittering jewels of the three liquors that make it up. It's been around for over a century, with a spirit-forward flavor that's crisp and herbaceous. Take one sip and you'll be reminded of a Manhattan. But it's even more interesting, with an herbal undertone to the finish.
Ingredients: Gin. sweet vermouth, Chartreuse
The Blood and Sand is one of the few classic cocktails with Scotch from the 1920’s and 30’s. It’s similar to a Manhattan or Martinez, but with with blood orange juice and cherry liqueur. It’s light and semi-sweet, with a balanced and cherry-forward flavor. This one will please even people who are on the fence about Scotch.
Ingredients: Scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, blood orange juice
If you love spirit-forward drinks like the Sazerac or a Manhattan: this one’s for you. This unique mixed drink is a classic cocktail from the 1800’s that most people have never heard of. It’s a lot like a Sazerac: but better. It’s rounded out with more complexity in flavors: it’s herbal from Benedictine and lightly sweet from vermouth.
Ingredients: Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth. Benedictine, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters
This Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail is balanced, sweet tart, and complex, fruity with intriguing notes from sweet vermouth. It's a great option for a vermouth cocktail that's sweet tart and not boozy.
Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, orange juice, 100% unsweetened cranberry juice, simple syrup
The best known of the dry vermouth cocktails is the dry Martini! The martini is one of the most iconic cocktails of all time. With one sip it announces itself: crisp, cool, searing, and spirit-forward. It’s seeped in tradition, and there’s no cocktail that has the amount of variations: shaken or stirred, gin or vodka, straight or on the rocks.
Variations: Dirty Martini, Gibson Cocktail, Mexican Martini, Cucumber Martini
Ingredients: Gin, dry white vermouth
Here’s a punchy three-ingredient dry vermouth cocktail that’s sleek and sippable: the Old Pal! It’s complex and spirit-forward, a unique drink if you love dry cocktails like a Negroni or a Manhattan. The Old Pal pairs bitter Campari with dry vermouth and fiery rye whiskey into a drink that’s dry, bitter and spicy all at once.
Ingredients: rye whiskey, dry vermouth, Campari
Here’s a classic cocktail that’s as unique as its name: and one of my personal favorites! Turns out that the Corpse Reviver has nothing scary or ghoulish about it. In fact, it’s truly delicious. It’s a classic gin sour cocktail that’s tart and zingy from lemon juice and orange liqueur, with a hint of licorice on the finish.
Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice. Cointreau, dry vermouth, absinthe
What’s a Good Mixer for Vermouth?
Sweet vermouth goes really well with a splash of soda water and an orange peel (which is basically a simpler Americano). Dry vermouth is great over ice with tonic water and a lemon peel.
Of course, the “mixers” in the drinks above like Campari, whiskey, gin, and bitters are the classics for a reason. Adding a few shakes of bitters is the easiest way to make any vermouth taste like a cocktail.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is 15 to 18% ABV (alcohol by volume) depending on the brand, so it has a low alcohol content. Compare it to 40% ABV for spirits like whiskey, rum, vodka and gin.
Compared to other liquors, vermouth is very affordable. You can buy a mid-priced 750 ml bottle for $10 to $15. It’s easy to find at your liquor store or online.
Yes. Because vermouth is a wine, it oxidizes once opened. Store it corked in the refrigerator and use it within about three months for the best flavor.
Enjoyed your informative comments and variety of cocktails.
Thank you so much for reading! Hope you’re able to try one or two.