Guide to Vermouth & Top Cocktails!

Arguably 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 bitter and herby from the bitters. 

Variation: Rob Roy Cocktail (with Scotch)

Ingredients: Whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters

And the best known of the dry vermouth cocktails: the Martini! The martini is one of the most iconic cocktails of all time. People have been drinking it for a century. 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 drink vying for the best of the best vermouth cocktails award. The 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 sweet vermouth 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. To us, it’s an improvement on both! 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 cousins: but it absolutely deserves a place at the table.

Ingredients: Gin, sweet vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, bitters

One of our favorite classic vermouth cocktails in the collection: 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 prefer it to the Negroni. Consider it an improvement! 

Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey, sweet red vermouth, Campari

Here’s a punchy three-ingredient 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

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 sophisticated 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

Looking for a unique classic cocktail to impress? Try the Bijou! 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. This one is full of surprises: and all your guests will be impressed.

Looking for a unique vermouth cocktail that will impress everyone? Try the Blood and Sand! It’s 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