Valdespino Vermouth Jerez de la Frontera

Valdespino is one of Jerez’s historic bodegas, formally established in the 19th century but with family roots in the region extending much further back. Vermouth also has a long history at the house: Valdespino was producing aromatized wines by the late 1800s, with production becoming particularly important during the 20th century. The current bottling revives that tradition and draws heavily on the bodega’s mature sherry reserves.

The base is a blend of mature oloroso and moscatel, with the oloroso component including very old wines from long-established soleras. It is infused with botanicals including wormwood, coriander, elderflower, gentian, quassia, chamomile, clove, cinnamon, orange and juniper. After maceration, the vermouth spends additional time in seasoned casks that previously held Valdespino oloroso, giving it considerably more oxidative depth and sherry character than a conventional wine-based vermouth.

The profile is rich and savory, with dried orange, walnut and raisined fruit alongside clove, cinnamon, gentian and aromatic herbs. There is a gentle sweetness on the palate, but the mature oloroso and bitter botanicals keep it balanced, finishing with citrus peel, spice and a persistent nutty bitterness. It works very well over ice with an orange peel, but also has enough depth for a Manhattan-style or other whiskey-based cocktail.