SPAIN: The Spanish Tradition of Vermouth

A lot of countries have a distinguishing traditional “adult beverage” of choice.

Think of Scotch, tequila, rum, rye, whiskey, etc.

In Spain, it is vermouth, or, as it is called locally, vermut.

Vermut began in Spain in the 1800's. 

By the early 1900's it had become very popular in Spanish life.

Traditionally, almost every town had a bodega (local lingo for a bar) serving its own house vermouth, often drawn straight from a barrel.

For purely educational purposes, we decided it would be a good idea to go visit a vermut distillery to learn more. 

Vermut can be compared to Italian and French aromatized wines. It starts with either a red or white wine base.

The wine is then fortified with alcohol, increasing its strength and allowing it to absorb and preserve flavors. 

What then makes it different than wine is the infusion of botanicals—secret blends of herbs, roots, barks, flowers, and spices.

Common ingredients include wormwood (from which vermouth gets its name), gentian, cinnamon, cloves, citrus peel, chamomile, rosemary, thyme, and vanilla.

These botanicals are either steeped directly in the wine or infused into alcohol first, then blended in.

After infusion, the vermouth is sweetened, usually with sugar or caramelized sugar. Spanish vermouths tend to be red (rojo) and slightly sweeter than French styles, though still balanced by bitterness and acidity.

The mixture is then filtered, sometimes aged briefly in barrels and bottled.

Each producer’s recipe is a closely guarded secret, and subtle differences in botanicals, sweetness, and aging give distinct regional styles.

Catalonia is often considered the heart of Spanish vermouth culture, and Barcelona still has traditional vermuterías where vermouth is poured from the barrel.

In Spain, vermouth is most commonly drunk before lunch (which would be between noon and two o’clock) nicknamed “la hora del vermut.” It’s served simply: over ice, with a slice of orange or lemon peel and a green olive.

Vermouth is meant to wake up the appetite, stimulate conversation and mark the transition from morning to afternoon.

It’s almost always accompanied by small snacks—anchovies, olives, pickled vegetables, potato chips, or canned seafood like mussels and cockles. These used to come free with the drink, but now people generally have to pay for the small snacks. (Read that as “tourists ALWAYS have to pay for them”.)

People often drink it standing at the bar. Speaking Spanish definitely facilitates conversation. 

We like to integrate into the local culture and gave it a try, for educational purposes only.....

It's very good!