Dry Vermouth: A Comparison

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Capn Jimbo
Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
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Dry Vermouth: A Comparison

Post by Capn Jimbo »

For Martinis and Manhattans...


Let's begin here. Unlike rum tasting, and to a lesser degree, spirits tasting we know close to nothing about mixers. However, I will say that dear Sue Sea has perhaps the most accurate and amazing palate. In part this is due to a combination of two factors: first, a bit of ADD, and second, 45 years of cooking experience. Sue Sea has an amazing memory of aromas and tastes and manages to "nail" elusive characteristics. And with practice, I've gotten so, so much better.

The point: if a Compleat Idiot can learn to identify and analyze spirits, so can you. Truly, it's a matter of practice and obtaining a decent tasting wheel.


About Rivata and Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth

As many of you may already know, two of the classic drinks we all should understand and appreciate are the Martini and the Manhattan. The recipes are surprising similar and use either a good gin (Martini) or rye whiskey (Manhattan), vermouth and bitters. Over the past few month, I started treating Sue Sea with an occasional dry, dirty martini.

Thiis martini is made with gin, dry vermouth, olive juice, squeezed olives and a dash of Angostura Bitters. Sue Sea has a preference for Holland and non-London Dry gins which include Van Gogh (a 5 star gin), Plymouth (ibid), Beefeaters Spring Edition (lighter, flowery), and today Maxim (a French gin completely unlike any of the others.

To date we'd been using a common standard, Rivata Dry Vermouth. To tell the truth, I really hadn't thought all that much about the dry vermouth, and we'd been through almost a bottle of it in this last month or so. We'd been using the aforesaid, non-London gins except for the Maxim's - on sale for $9.95 (Total Wine closeout), purchased only on a "...it's $9.95, what the hell..." basis. With this deal in hand, and finding that the 750ml Rivata Dry ($5.95) was sold out, I spotted and bought a Noilly Pratt from France ($8.95) and again bought it on a "...it's French, I've heard of it, we got the gin for a lousy $9.95, what the hell (again)!" basis.


A Comparison of Dry Vermouths

I decided I'd make what I called a "French Martini" - Maxim's Gin, Noilly Pratt and a dash of Angostura, shaken and in a nice, frosted martini glass. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much more than our former martini's that I grown to at least tolerate (but which Sue Sea enjoyed).

The result was more than acceptable - we were both ecstatic with this "French Martini". No olives, cloudy and clean, no crushed ice - just a well shaken, chilled martini. The Maxim's turned out to be floral, with juniper almost undetectable. The martini had a subtle sweetness to it, and was extremely well balanced, complex and surprising smooth (the Maxim's is 88 proof). In addition to a unique French style gin (made for Maxim's in southern France), the Noilly Pratt - unlike the Rivata - was complex with vegetal and earth tones over citrus.

Both vermouths are 18% but tasted straight the Rivata is comparatively simplistic with straight ahead light citrus tones (think grapefruit and pineapple), while the Poilly adds layers of very interesting herbal and spice tones. Both are 18% (36 proof).

Perhaps we learned something that many of you already know. Just like spirits, quality counts. We're not saying that the Rivata was bad, but that the Noilly Pratt is exceptional. The French are very particular about their wine and spirits and we know know what a tremendous difference the Noilly made - well worth the extra $3 per 750ml bottle.

Of course, your input is welcome.
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