Four Vermouth Cocktails Found Around Boston

Bamboo Cocktail
Shepard

Bar manager Nic Mansur delves into Shepard’s extensive selection of fortified wines for classics like the Bamboo, which uses maderized French rancio in place of sherry.

Salt & Stone
Audubon

An original creation from GM Tyler Wang’s Kirkland Tap & Trotter days, this reverse Manhattan (more sweet vermouth than bourbon) is available whenever the weather turns.

Chrysanthemum Cocktail
Craigie on Main

To bring out nutty, oxidized notes, lead bartender Rob Ficks ages this mixture of dry vermouth, Bénédictine, and absinthe in used Rhum Clément barrels for eight weeks.

Overcoat
Alden & Harlow

Bar manager Seth Freidus relies heavily on house-made cocktail components, including the trebbiano-based sweet vermouth in his Overcoat, which he finishes with Campari, gentian liqueur, and rye.

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STANDALONE SIPPERS

Vermouth isn’t just a Manhattan’s best friend. As a fortified wine flavored with spices, herbs, and other aromatics, it’s practically a cocktail unto itself. This winter, put down the scotch and try one of these tipples, either straight up or on the rocks.

Casa Mariol Vermut Negre
Catalonia, Spain

Aged in 60-year-old solera barrels, this blend of wild macabeo grapes and up to 150 botanicals boasts sherrylike notes of raisin and thyme.

$26, Formaggio Kitchen.

Uncouth Vermouth
Brooklyn, New York

For her range of unfiltered vermouths, Bianca Miraglia uses local produce like beets and butternut squash, which she juices herself.

$36, Streetcar Wine and Beer.

Tempus Fugit Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso
Piedmont, Italy

This newcomer to the market is a re-creation of alchemist Girolamo Ruscelli’s recipe, banned by the Church during the 16th century.

$23, Liquor World.

Photograph by Jim Brueckner (Cocktail), Illustrations by Ellaphant in the Room, Photographs by Toan Trinh (Bottles)