Bodegas Lustau now enters the vermouth category with a red vermouth based on two sherry wines selected by its enologist Manuel Lozano. One is a sweet and velvety Pedro Ximénez and the other a dry and nutty Amontillado – aged separately in their own soleras for 10 years. The wines are then used to macerate more than ten botanicals and aromatic herbs like gentian, sage, absinth, coriander and orange peel. Each botanical macerates separately for optimal aroma extraction. The master blender then expertly combines the infused wines to obtain a perfect blend.

Nose: quite seductive, starting on citrus notes. The orange peel and coriander seeds are in the foreground. A fragrant whiff of old roses. Then darker notes, like mature red fruits. Cinnamon as well. Very round, it’s only after some time that you get hints of gentian or absinth.

Mouth: very velvety again, with a great balance. Definitely on the sweet side – the bitterness of the Cinchona bark is rather delicate here. Citrus peel again, hints of plums and red grape juice. Smooth finish, bittersweet with a touch of toasted oak.