Lacuesta Dry Vermut

Martinez Lacuesta Dry Vermut is made in Haro, in the heart of Spain's Rioja region, where the Martinez Lacuesta family has been producing vermouth since 1937. What sets this bottle apart is the conzia, a proprietary extract of around twenty botanicals, herbs, and aromatic plants that the family cold-macerates in white wine to form the backbone of every expression in their range. This extra seco bottling is the sharpest and most austere in the Lacuesta lineup, amber in color with a nose and palate that recall the oxidative character of fino sherry. The Martinez Lacuesta family pioneered what Spaniards still call la hora del vermut, or vermouth hour, a tradition that took root in Rioja's wine bars and cafés throughout the mid-twentieth century. In 2005, Lacuesta became the first producer to release a barrel-aged vermouth, applying a winemaker's eye to a category that had been largely industrial and overlooked. The botanicals in the conzia are never disclosed in full, but the family's maceration method ensures that each aromatic component remains vivid and distinct rather than muddled into generic sweetness. The result is a vermouth with structure and precision, built for cocktails that demand backbone and bitterness. On the nose, expect vanilla, baked apple, and nutmeg layered over that oxidative, sherry-like edge. The palate opens tart and focused, with warm spice running through the mid-palate—licorice, cinnamon, ginger—before wormwood asserts itself on the finish with a bracing, herbal bitterness. A thread of salinity keeps the mouth watering and the finish crisp and clean. This is a vermouth for a bone-dry martini or a low-intervention spritz with soda and a twist of lemon. It also works stirred into a classic Manhattan if you want the botanicals to cut through the whiskey rather than sweeten it. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.