Most vermouth is a supporting actor, but Mancino Vermouth Vecchio Rosso Amaranto Barricato is the star of the show. This isn’t your average mixing vermouth; it’s a transcendent spirit that has been aged in oak barrels, acquiring a profound depth of flavour with notes of bitter orange, rancio, dried cherry, and dark chocolate. It’s a digestif in its own right, but its complexity also makes it the ultimate base for cocktails that are anything but ordinary.
If you’re only using it in a Negroni, you’re missing out. Here are three sophisticated cocktails that let this remarkable vermouth shine.
1. The Barricato Old Fashioned
This cocktail reimagines a classic by replacing the traditional sugar and bitters with the pre-harmonised complexity of the Vecchio Barricato. The vermouth’s inherent sweetness and bitter botanicals do all the work.
Why it works: The barrique aging gives the vermouth a whisky-like structure. Sipping it this way allows you to appreciate its evolved notes of oak, tobacco, and dried fruit in their purest form. It’s the simplest, yet most revealing, way to enjoy it.
- Method:
- Add a large ice cube to a rocks glass.
- Pour in 60ml of Mancino Vermouth Vecchio Rosso Amaranto Barricato.
- Express a strip of orange peel over the glass and drop it in.
2. The Profound Manhattan
Elevate your Manhattan from great to legendary. Using the Vecchio Barricato adds layers of savoury depth that a standard sweet vermouth simply can’t provide.
Why it works: The spicy rye whiskey finds a perfect partner in the vermouth’s rich, oaky character. The result is a deeper, more contemplative Manhattan with a long, dry finish that lingers beautifully.
- Method:
- Stir 50ml of a robust Rye Whiskey with 30ml of Mancino Vecchio Barricato and a dash of chocolate or orange bitters with ice.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
3. The Rosso Sour
This cocktail showcases the vermouth’s versatility, using citrus to brighten its dark fruit flavours and egg white to smooth its edges into a silky, sophisticated texture.
Why it works: The lemon juice lifts the vermouth’s notes of bitter orange and cherry, while the egg white creates a luxurious foam that delivers the complex aromatics directly to your nose with every sip.
- Method:
- Shake 50ml of Mancino Vecchio Barricato, 25ml of fresh lemon juice, and 15ml of simple syrup with one egg white (or aquafaba) vigorously without ice.
- Add ice and shake again until chilled.
- Double-strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a few drops of aromatic bitters.
Stop treating vermouth as a mere ingredient. Mancino Vermouth Vecchio Rosso Amaranto Barricato is the centrepiece. Explore these recipes and discover a new world of cocktail sophistication.
Ready to craft these cocktails at home? Shop Mancino Vermouth Vecchio Rosso Amaranto Barricato here.