For most Americans, vermouth is merely a component in their cocktails. For Europeans, though, it's what the Americans, with their extra dry Martinis, have never truly appreciated. Interestingly enough, though, a Martini in Italy or France is a glass of Martini & Rossi vermouth.

Vermouth is white wine infused with herbs and is either sweet or dry, though it comes in three types: rosso, or sweet red; bianco, or sweet white; secco, or dry white.

Years ago, French and Italian vermouths were two very different vermouths. That's why recipes in many classic cocktail books call for either French or Italian vermouth. French vermouth once implied only the dry version, which is made of white wines and a slew of herbs, most distinctly quinine. The traditional Italian, or sweet, type is more bittersweet and made with brandy, herbs, and cochineal coloring. Nowadays, though, both types are made in either country, so the distinction by country is muddied and best handled by referring to each vermouth type as either dry or sweet. The large vermouth houses, such as Cinzano, Boissiere, and Martini & Rossi actually bottle both varieties. Typically, the best dry vermouths still hail from the Languedoc-Rousillon region in the South of France, and the best sweet vermouths continue to come from Apulia and Sicily in Italy.

The difference in taste between sweet and dry is like night and day. Sweet vermouth, with its blood-red coloring, is like port wine and tastes rich and fruity. We actually know a few people who drink sweet vermouth neat. Extra dry is really just dry vermouth, which is usually reserved for mixing with clear liquors, and is indeed quite dry and acerbic.

The Alchemist has noticed that people have lost their taste for vermouth in favorites like the Manhattan, which is really quite a shame. Both mixers add a level of sophistication to drinks that can't be achieved otherwise.