Cñia Mata Vermouth Blanco

Manufacturer's Notes: GRAPE: Blend of Doña Blanca and Godello VINIFICATION AND AGEING: The vinified wine macerates for approximately 40 days with various roots, flowers and savory herbs. Examples include bitter orange peel, sage, thyme and star anise. Once maceration is complete, the vermouth is filtered and slightly fortified. Wine spirits are added, along with a small amount of grape must, to create a rounder mouthfeel. My tasting: 3.9.22 Served: Neat, Flute (unchilled) Bottle Open: 2 Weeks Aroma: Positively intoxicating. Aromas of warm fig and freshly baked gingerbread. Braking it down, the evident baking spices are ginger, clove, allspice, and cinnamon. I notice the thyme after reading that it's there. There is definitely an herbal note that smooths the aroma over. Flavor: Pleasantly sweet up front, with a bitter finish. Predominant flavors on the tongue are again gingerbread baked with plenty of orange peel. This is a vermouth that deserves to be the star of a cocktail and not simply to play a supporting role. My favorite way to use it is in a Spanish White Negroni, perhaps deserving the name "Negroni Blanco" (not to be confused with the Italian Negroni Bianco, promoted by Luxardo, or Wayne Collins' original White Negroni, which uses Suze). It is crucial to use a gin with a simple nature, to allow the complexity of this vermouth to show. Negroni Blanco: 1oz Gin De Mahon 1oz Mata Vermouth Blanco 1oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco Garnish with a fig and cinnamon stick.