Puget Sound distillers Erin Brophy (bro) and Mhairi Voelgsen (Vo) founded their brand in 2010 in West Seattle, and Voelgsen moved the operation to Woodinville. The focus is on ingredients grown in Washington state, and this version of a dry white vermouth originates with Sauvignon Blanc off the Wahluke Slope. The wine forms 75% of the base, and the subsequent botanicals include angelica, burdock root, cardamom, chamomile, coriander, damiana, fennel, hyssop, lemon peel, marigold, orange peel, pao d’oro bark, rosemary, dried rose, sage and thyme. That list creates aromas of limoncello, baked Lady Alice apple, grenadine, nutmeg and horehound. Those baked apple notes carry through with richness and a dusting of cardamom and curry, surrounded by an abundance of acidity. Indeed, its finish is far from cloying, incorporating a simple syrup with bay leaf and vanilla bean that leaves the residual sugar at 1.25% — much drier than their three other versions of vermouth. Among the recipes listed on their site is one for an Old Pal, which includes rye and Campari, and it’s also used to provide a spark of acidity for gin or rice wine.
Rating: Excellent
Alcohol: 19.9%
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