Carpano Dry

Carpano Dry is a dry vermouth, an aromatized wine flavored with botanicals. Unlike its sweet red counterparts, it is made to sit in the background of a drink rather than dominate it. The product details don't list an ABV or tasting notes, so what follows is the profile you can expect from the style. Dry vermouths usually show pale straw color, a crisp and lightly bitter finish, and herbal, floral and citrus-peel aromas, with very little residual sugar. The most common use is as the second ingredient in a Martini. A ratio of about five parts gin to one part dry vermouth gives a firm, gin-forward drink with a faint herbal edge. Going closer to equal parts, or using a dash of vermouth in a stirred glass, shifts the balance noticeably. The same bottle works in a Gibson (a Martini garnished with a cocktail onion) and in a Bamboo, where it pairs with sherry and bitters. It also suits a Vermouth Cocktail built around a measure of vermouth with a few dashes of bitters. In a Dirty Martini, its dryness helps keep the brine from making the drink heavy. You can also drink it without a cocktail shaker. Serve it chilled over a large ice cube with a twist of lemon or a green olive. For a longer drink, pour about two ounces over ice and top with soda or tonic, garnished with a lemon or orange slice. This is a light aperitif style that works well before a meal. At the table, dry vermouth goes with salted almonds, olives, hard cheeses, anchovies, oysters and simple fried seafood, all of which suit its acidity and bitterness. Treat it like wine rather than spirits once it's open. Recap the bottle, keep it in the refrigerator, and plan to use it within a few weeks, because the aromatics fade and a stale bottle will flatten a Martini.