The Canned Cocktail Market Is Finally Getting In On The Vermouth Trend
For too long, vermouth was a neglected beverage, added in tiny quantities to cocktails like the martini or the Manhattan, which are typically dominated by other flavors in the drinks. Winston Churchill, famously a fan of the gin martini — but not so much of vermouth — declared that to properly make the drink, one should "glance at the vermouth bottle briefly, while pouring the juniper distillate freely" (via Difford's Guide). Fortunately, vermouth's time has come and it's stepped into the spotlight of renewed interest in its varieties and uses, both in cocktails and in the kitchen.
Vermouth is a fortified wine that's flavored with botanicals, herbs, and spices, and historically was divided into two categories, according to Vine Pair. Sweet vermouth was created in northern Italy in 1786 and dry vermouth was created in southern France in 1813, per The Spruce Eats. Though vermouth used to be a mere ingredient, thanks to innovative mixologists and artisan vermouth producers, it's now front-and-center in fresh new cocktails and even sipped and savored solo.
Canned cocktails give you vermouth to-go
Thrillist gives us a rundown of some of the best new canned cocktails that feature vermouth, and there are some winners. One of the most frequently featured vermouth cocktails is the vermouth spritz, a refreshing and low alcohol sipper that usually contains vermouth, bitters, and sparkling water. They're easy to make at home, and they're the perfect cocktail to bridge the end of summer into fall.
If you're looking for an artisan vermouth canned cocktail, The Wine Collective, billed as Baltimore, Maryland's first urban winery makes a delicious example. Their Orange Cinchona Vermútino combines their Vermú Rosé Vermouth with sparkling water for a cocktail they describe as a "ready-to-drink Spanish-style version of Aperol spritz—light, bubbly, and hopelessly refreshing." Mingling bright citrus notes with the bitterness of quinine, this vermouth cocktail in a can is but one example of the revitalized interest in vermouth.
Look for other vermouth cocktails in a can from OENO's Vermouth Blanco Spritz, which features infused notes of citrus, chamomile, and white sage, as well as Sprezza's Rosso Spritz, boasting hints of rhubarb, caramel, and bitter orange.