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Vermouth & Tonic
Main ingredients

Vermouth & Tonic

Getting into fortified wine easily

This is a gateway cocktail, a long drink to get acquainted with the often misunderstood vermouth. Misunderstood because there is this mixup with the Martini brand. Let's get things sorted once and for all and get you to try this versatile ingredient.

Bar tools & Glassware

  • 1
    Jigger
  • 1
    Peeler
  • 1
    Long drink glass
  • 1
    Bar spoon
  • 1
    Vacuum Pump for bottles

Ingredients

  • 50 ml
    sweet vermouth
  • 150 ml
    Tonic water to top up the drink
  • plenty
    Ice to fill the glass
  • 1 to garnish
    Lemon zest

Before you start

  • Pre-chill your glass by placing lots of ice in it
  • Tip out the ice and meltwater before filling the glass

Steps to make the drink

  1. Fill the glass with ice all the way to the top

  2. Now add some tonic to have some effervescence

    • 50 ml
      tonic

  3. Add slowly over the ice

    • 50 ml
      vermouth

  4. Top to fill the glass with

    • 100 ml
      tonic
  5. Gently stirr for 2 revolutions to preserve the bubbles
  6. Add a lemon zest to garnish the drink

So you want a simple start to get to know vermouth? You have come to the right place. Vermouth can be so different in taste, colour, and ingredients it is made of, and for that reason the vermouth & tonic is a drink where none is like the next once you start swapping vermouths.

Bring out the details

Just like gin with its variety of botanicals, vermouth is made of various herbs, wines and additional alcohol of different kinds to preserve it. So like most gins heavily change their taste depending on the tonic the vermouth in this recipe is subject to influence by the tonic as well.

There is no secret formula really to pinpoint you to a perfect V&T. It is a trial and error game really. Depending on what is available in your region it is worth trying a few combinations. A fun way to do this is with friends by getting a few tonics and a vermouth. Serve different mixes and find out which one tastes best.

Vermouth and it's shelf life

Once a vermouth is open it starts to change: Since the base is a wine which is just fortified by extra alcohol to keep it stable longer, you should do a few things to keep it usable as long as possible:

  1. Always keep vermouth in the fridge

  2. Seal the bottle, ideally with a vacuum pump and a stopper

  3. Use the bottle in a few weeks to have a consistent taste profile

Just like wine can turn into vinegar the vermouth looses its original taste over time.