When in Spain, do as the Spanish do, as goes the old adage, and one thing any Spaniard worthy of their lisp loves to do - is the Vermuteo. Note - in this article I will be using the Spanish word for vermouth - vermút, also the Spanish word for vermouthery, that is, the art of drinking vermouth - vermuteo.
Catholic nation as Spain is there are many religious festivities and processions causing reason to celebrate throughout the year, and the vermuteo is a sacred ritual in the Spanish gastronomic procession, thereby it must be respected as such.
If you are preparing to head to Spain for a vacation for the first time, a return time, or if you're just reflecting on the wonderful experience you may have had there - then vermút should be something on your mind. Please note, unlike their non-Mediterranean counterparts who usually find vermút coyly hiding in the ingredients list on a cocktail menu - Spanish, alongside the Italians and the French, drink their vermút neat, chilled and on the rocks. What I'm saying is whereas in other places vermouth comes second after cocktails, as a compliment, a flavour, it plays a supporting role - in Spain Vermút is the protagonist. Vermút is the reason to get together with your friends, or at least the excuse.
Broadly speaking, you will find two styles that dominate the Spanish menu- blanco and rojo, white and red, respectively. Red being the more typical, common and popular, it is a sweet drink with a very dark red hue, not unlike Coca-cola, that's because it is sweetened with caramelised sugar. Spanish white vermút is not to be confused with the more famous french styles- Noilly Prat, Dolin, which are dry vermouths and have a very distinct flavour, vermút blanco is a sweet vermouth. Almost as sweet as red, the difference is that sugar is added rather than caramel. Vermút rojo tends towards flavours like cinnamon, cloves, dark candied fruits, whereas the blanco tends toward vanilla, floral, white fruits.
Hold the order there Lukey Boy, some of you might be asking- what is vermút anyway? In a nutshell, or an olive pit, it's an aperitif wine. A wine that has been enhanced with a medley of botanicals, many of which boast properties that aid digestion and impart a bitter flavour profile, the wine is also fortified to between 15-22% alc. vol. and is finally sweetened to balance the bitter edge. Just a spoonful of sugar, plus a shot of alcohol, helps the medicine go down kind of thing.
It is a drink with a very bold flavour, and between the high alcohol and sugar content, it is not to be drank in excess- two vermúts are more than enough for one sitting, (don't worry that´s about when the magnificent Spanish wines come out, or the infamous Spanish GinTonic.)
It has a very specific part in the Spanish food custom, that being before lunch at around 13h, or before dinner at around 20h, and particularly on a Sunday afternoon before Sunday lunch. That´s when friends gather to hacer el vermút (do the vermouth) in which vermút is drunk on the rocks, often garnished with a stuffed olive (which soaks up the vermút and may damn well be the best olive you eat in your life) and a slice of orange for the rojo or lemon for the blanco. Don't be disappointed if you find it served in a glass with no garnish whatsoever- many a purmuthiast, puritan-vermuthiast, argues that the olive and orange alter the balance of the flavours- it is a complete package as is. Another lovely little curiosity to look out for is the sifón. These are the cool soda water dispensers that lighten up the drink, equipped with a cool high pressure spray nozzle. Use them with caution! The pressure is high and you can easily find yourself splashing vermút all over your tapas spread.
Naturally there is a tapa spread specific to the classic vermuteo- mostly salty tapas, as well as vinegary ones, which make a perfect pairing with the sweet drink. Olives are a favourite- stuffed or non, chunky salted crisps, salty anchovies cured in vinegar, a cheese & charcuterie board that could tempt even the most die-hard vegan, patatas bravas which are chunky potato wedges served alongside a spicy and garlic flavoured sauce (many peoples favourite tapa, patatas bravas could strongly contend for THE tapa) all set out in buffet style. Lots of the bodegas, that's the taverns where they serve vermút, use big old wine barrels as tables. But a regular table will also suffice.
The vermuteo, as with so many Mediterranean food traditions, is not just about the food, it´s centred around the social aspect. It's where you complain about work, or brag about work accomplishments, it's where you discuss your boyfriend's or girlfriend's ´´nuances´´ with your best friends, or indeed where you find a new boyfriend or girlfriend. It's about sharing the moment, flavoured with wonderful wine and eats. This is why it is sacred.
And if there is one thing I have learnt in my time living in Spain, and I can assure you that anyone else who has had close contact with Spanish culture will back me up on this, it is that the Spanish are masters at the art of enjoying life. They prioritise good times. La fiesta is an essential and integral dish in their buffet of life and they do it perhaps better than anyone else in the world. As such I invite you to delight in the Spanish tradition of el vermuteo. SALUD!
Luke Watson is an Artisanal Vermút producer based in the Spanish Pyrenees Mountains, when he's not hosting online classes on homemade vermút, or giving a tour in Barcelona about vermút, you´ll probably find him drinking..... whisky! That's because his father is Irish and one must stay true to one´s (ve)R(m)oots.