Appearance: Brown with deep red and old gold highlights. It looks like a bourbon or sherried whisky. Aroma: Baking spices, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, liquorice a hint of raisin and citrus peel. Flavour and Texture: Elegantly sweet, warming and spicy like mulled wine and akin in some ways to semi-sweet sherry. A touch of vanilla, grape and plum with the merest hint of bitterness in the finish. The bitter note becomes more obvious with repeated sipping. A wonderful vermouth that took me by surprise the first time I tasted it as I had no idea that vermouth could be this good. The profile is like a combination of excellent medium sherry, sarsparilla and mulled claret. It is deep and rich but also light and the palate retains a crisp quality throughout. This is so good it is almost a shame to use it for mixing. I very much enjoy a glass neat (but chilled) and it also makes a very good spritz, particularly with a semi-sweet sparkling wine. For a long time I only used cheaper vermouth and I never got the attraction of the drink, but one taste of this and I was hooked. If you are serious about your mixed drinks that call for sweet vermouth, then use this – that’s all there is to it. It will transform your recipes. I’m not saying this is the “best” vermouth but it stands proudly alongside the finest examples on the top shelf. Like all vermouth it should be used fairly soon after opening as it will oxidise strongly – think of the time frame over which you would keep a vintage port after opening, it’s about the same, but definitely keep this one in the fridge. If you do not think you will get through a bottle then decant some and give it away to friends. “Outstanding” : 90/100 (5 stars)