Dry vermouth is crucial for a correct Martini—with out it, the drink’s mainly only a glass of chilly gin. However dry vermouth’s utility in cocktails stretches nicely past its most well-known utility. Citric, herbaceous, and just a little floral, dry vermouth can add a crisp snap of freshness to different gin or vodka drinks. In a cocktail made with whiskey or one other aged spirit, these identical components present depth and a vibrant steadiness in a notably totally different manner than its candy vermouth counterpart. And dry vermouth is completely suited to take heart stage—a easy splash of soda water and a twist of lemon can remodel a pour of dry vermouth into an ideal low-ABV aperitif.

On the French restaurant Le Veau d’Or in New York Metropolis, bar supervisor Sarah Morrissey demonstrates dry vermouth’s vibrancy by her model of the Pompier, an under-the-radar traditional French highball that mixes dry vermouth’s botanical-fueled flavors with the blackcurrant punch of crème de cassis. Whereas Morrissey says the drink’s resemblance to French wine-based kir cocktails appeals to the restaurant’s older clientele, she notes the Pompier’s refreshing class and low-ABV nature makes it best for curious Gen Z drinkers. “I believe a Pompier is an effective way to get the youthful technology into vermouth,” she says. “If the drink was referred to as one thing flashier like French Ranch Water, TikTokers would most likely be making it the following massive factor.”

At Gilly’s Home of Cocktails in San Diego, proprietor Erick Castro leans into dry vermouth’s vibrant tones for the Pale Rider, a drink he created as a nod to theoretical historical past. “You don’t actually see a number of agave in traditional, pre-Prohibition cocktails,” he says of the drink, which matches tequila and mezcal with dry vermouth and Cointreau. “It acquired me considering, if there was one, it must be clear, with minimal substances and no trendy liqueurs.”

Dry vermouth’s recent flavors and low proof make it a pure match for sessionable cocktails, as exemplified by the Sand Bar at HomeMakers Bar in Cincinnati. Proprietor Julia Petiprin initially created the easy-drinking cocktail to tackle boat rides with buddies earlier than she finally put it on her menu. A straightforward infusion with recent cucumber amplifies dry vermouth’s herbaceous qualities, making its interaction with the softly floral one-two punch of blanc vermouth and elderflower liqueur extra dramatic. Petiprin hopes the drink’s approachability can present categorical enlightenment. “Dry vermouth nonetheless has this stigma,” she says, a product of the drained less-is-better cliché from its function in Martinis, and from the still-common use of improperly cared for bottles that lose their attraction to age and oxidation. “In actuality, vermouth is virtually its personal little cocktail in a bottle.”