Dolin Dry Vermouth

Bright aromas of lychee, rose, anise, white peach, lemon zest, chamomile, and jasmine. Full-bodied and rounded in the mouth. Palate shows further anise, lychee, white peach, jasmine, and chamomile, plus bitter orange and marjoram. Long finish. 4.00/5.00 – Great (neat)

Neat 4.25

It has an aromatic birth with notes of citrus, flowers, herbs & spices; while a delicate life led to an off-dry & floral finish. November 2015 / November / December 2016 / September 2017

Dolin dry vermouth is the standard by which I measure all of my dry vermouths. It is excellent in cocktails and holds up quite well neat. The cost is a bit more than Noilly Prat (well a lot more when you consider you can get a 1L bottle of Noilly for $10), but the quality is hard to beat. On the nose I get grapefruit peel and pine. It may not have the strongest nose of the dry vermouths, but on the palate is where it separates itself from the competition. There is white wine vinegar, hint of citrus, salt and a kick of anise. It doesn't hold back and then the finish, while pretty quick, has a bit of acidity and sweetness. I've probably had 15 plus dry vermouths and so far, none have taken the place of Dolin, at least not when you factor in cost. A few are right there and may even be a touch better neat, but the versatility of Dolin dry makes it my top choice for dry vermouths.