I’d always wanted to try Carpano’s Punt è Mes because of its label design alone, but somehow had never gotten around to it. Maybe I was unenthused when I discovered it was vermouth; after all, I had a perfectly full bottle of Martini & Rossi red on the shelf, why shell out money for more?

I’m glad I did. What a revelation. I never knew I liked Italian vermouth before. I’d see vintage cocktail recipes calling for it, lots of them, and wonder how people back in the day were so fond of the stuff. But with quality vermouth you can see it. It’s not to everyone’s taste, to be sure. If you don’t like herbal or bitter overtones, you probably won’t like it - but you’ll probably like it better than cheap vermouth.

I started with a mini-taste test, comparing the Carpano with the Martini & Rossi. Even by sight, you can tell the former (on the right) has more body than the latter (on the left). The amounts I poured are the same:

Whereas the cheaper vermouth was thin, tart and winey, like a cross between a so-so sherry and a cheap wine, Punt è mes had a full-bodied, well-rounded palate, herbal and just as much bitter as sweet. It reminded me of Italian bitters (amaro), and I guess it actually is in the same category, being a fortified wine with herbal infusion. Even more than amaro, it tastes great on ice, with a squeeze of lemon if you like (not necessary though). A great apéritif.

Next, I tested Manhattans, one made with Martini & Rossi and one made with Punt è Mes, using three parts bourbon to one part vermouth. The first tasted thin and unbalanced, though it was hard to pin down what was lacking. Meanwhile, good vermouth really excels here, standing up to the full body and complexity of the bourbon and bringing out the spicy Angostura bitters in harmony. If you’re into Manhattans, I highly recommend getting Punt è Mes for a noticeable difference.

Finally, I wanted to try a cocktail that would foreground the vermouth. The similarity to amaro made me think of the Negroni, which is equal parts Campari, gin and Italian vermouth. While I like Campari and occasionally will order a Negroni, it’s catch-in-the-back-of-your-throat bitter and not a smooth, pleasant drink. So I whipped up a revised Negroni with milder amaro instead of the Campari. (Ramazzoti’s my favorite.) I used Plymouth for its smoothness (i.e. restrained juniper), but any gin should do. An orange slice/wheel is traditional, but I like the extra touch of squeezing the peel’s oil into the drink. Everything else, especially the equal proportions remains the same, and the interplay is perfect.

The Negroni works better as a smallish cocktail. Save the oversized martini glasses for another occasion.

Revisionist Negroni
1 medium-small cocktail

1/2 jigger Plymouth gin
1/2 jigger Punt è Mes
1/2 jigger amaro of choice

Shake with ice, then strain into a small cocktail glass. Take an orange twist and squeeze over drink to release oils; drop in.