Barbadillo Ataman Vermut

In a nutshell:
A fresh and singularly herbal Spanish vermouth from Jerez.

The lowdown:
Ataman, rather curiously, was a title given a Cossack chief, and here sees the relaunch of a range first created by Barbadillo in the 1940s. These vermouths ceased being on sale over fifty years ago and the remaining stocks have been ageing in oak casks in their cellars since then. This new version is based on the original using absinthe, quassia tree bark, rosemary, Seville orange and elderberry on a base of manzanilla sherry. A small amount of the original stock is also blended in. The result is a rich and distinctly herbal vermouth with a charactersistic, bold bitterness and real depth of flavour.

When to drink:
A seriously rewarding and complex vermouth that puts mass produced vermouths in the shade.