Sweet vermouth plays a supporting role in so many cocktails that it's easy to take for granted. It brings out the nuanced flavors of a bold spirit, so it pairs well with both whiskey and gin, supporting the star player in a wide variety of cocktails. But a simple glass of sweet vermouth has a delicate balance of rich, spicy, sweet, and bitter flavors that can also be delicious on its own. More

Vermouth used to be a relatively simple topic, at least in the States. The American market had sweet and dry styles and largely shunned both. When Paul Clarke wrote about vermouth for SE back in 2007, he had very few brands to discuss; not many brands or styles were available on the American market. In the past four years, though, that's changed, and now there is a wide range of options in vermouth and other aperitif wines. This week, I'll share a few of the available choices with you offer some suggestions on how to enjoy them. More

I'm always excited to find a truly nerdy cocktail destination that manages to share esoteric drinks without any pretension. Amor Y Amargo, the latest addition to the Cienfuegos/El Cobre complex on the corner of 6th Street and Avenue A in the East Village, is a prime example. More

Admit it: when did you buy that bottle of vermouth? I'm pretty sure my parents have a bottle from the 1980s. Buy a new bottle (try Dolin) and use it up fast. We're here to help with three great cocktail recipes. More

Often made with a base of vermouth or another aperitif wine, low-octane cocktails are popping up around the country. Aromatized wines such as vermouth and quinquinas have an elaborate complexity of flavor, so a cocktail based on these wines can have a robust character without the alcoholic firepower to knock you off your barstool. More

You wouldn't know it by looking at the way it's used today, but vermouth was the belle of the mixological ball once upon a time. While vermouth can list details such as "revolutionized the late 19th century cocktail" and "enabled creation of the Manhattan and the martini" on its resume, today it's like the elderly greeters at Wal-Mart, picking up whatever gigs it can get in the years that came after the glory ones. More

Lock the doors and bar the windows--the new Noilly Prat dry vermouth is coming, and, according to Eric Felten in the Wall Street Journal, your martini will never be the same again, and that's terrible news. More

For many people, vermouth is the stuff you're supposed to be miserly with when mixing a martini--or, taking the Winston Churchill route, it's the liquid you merely glance at across the room before proceeding with mixing the drink. More