Antica Formula Vermouth 1L

Antica Formula Vermouth is a rich Italian sweet vermouth from Carpano, made to the recipe Antonio Benedetto Carpano created in Turin in 1786. It is bottled at 16.5% in a 1 litre bottle and is known for its strong vanilla character.

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Carpano is now produced by Fratelli Branca Distillerie, which says the original recipe has been kept unchanged. The base is Italian white wine from Romagna, Puglia and Sicily, processed within a day of arrival to keep it fresh. Botanicals include saffron, Alpine wormwood from Piedmont and the Aosta Valley, the plant that gave vermouth its name, and burnt sugar for colour. Some are infused hot and others extracted cold, some over several months, and the blend then rests before bottling.

Carpano’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Vanilla, with spice, citrus and dried fruit such as almond and raisin, plus clove.

Palate: Round and rich, with vanilla, bitter orange, dates, cocoa bean and saffron.

It is fuller and sweeter than an everyday red vermouth, so it suits drinkers who make Manhattans and Negronis at home and want more depth. Carpano’s Americano uses 30ml Antica Formula and 30ml bitter on ice, topped with soda and finished with lemon zest and an orange slice. It is also good on its own over ice with orange peel. As a wine-based drink, keep it in the fridge once opened and use it within a few weeks.