Casa Mariol Catalonia Negre Vermut LITER

Casa Mariol Negre Vermut — Catalonia, Spain (1 Liter)

Casa Mariol is one of Catalonia's most distinctive vermouth producers, crafting their Negre Vermut in the traditional Spanish style from the Terra Alta region — a rugged, windswept appellation known for its old-vine Macabeu. The base wine is 100% Macabeu, infused with wild field herbs and unripe green walnuts, then aged in a 60-year-old solera — a process that builds extraordinary depth, complexity, and continuity from one vintage to the next. One of the defining characteristics of Casa Mariol's approach is the very low use of caramel, resulting in a lighter, more fragrant, and more spicy vermouth with greater balance than most — equally at home drunk straight as it is in cocktails.

The nose is herbal and aromatic: thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, and warm spice, with a subtle nuttiness from the green walnut infusion. On the palate, the vermouth is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced — fragrant and spicy up front, with a clean, pleasantly bitter finish and lingering notes of caramel and dried herbs. In Spain, vermouth is drunk neat with a slice of orange and an olive. This is how Casa Mariol recommends it too. It is also exceptional in cocktails or lengthened with ginger ale or soda. Salud!

"One of the main differences between this and other vermouths is the very low use of caramel. This results in a lighter, more fragrant and spicy vermouth with greater balance and complexity — better suited to drinking straight as well as mixing in cocktails."

• Producer: Casa Mariol, Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain
• Base Wine: 100% Macabeu
• Style: Negre (Red) Vermouth
• Infusion: Wild field herbs & unripe green walnuts
• Aging: 60-year-old solera
• Size: 1 Liter
• Best Served: Neat with orange slice & olive, or in cocktails with ginger ale or soda

A solera-aged Catalan vermouth from 100% Macabeu — Casa Mariol Negre is the benchmark for what traditional Spanish vermouth, made with wild herbs and minimal caramel, can deliver in a glass.