It’s an iconic image straight out of a Hemingway novel: a sleepy bar on a Sunday afternoon, the floor littered with peanut shells; barrels with wooden spigots jostle for space above the bar. Short glasses – filled with ice, olives and an orange slice – hold one of Spain’s signature elixirs: vermouth, or as it’s known here, vermut.
Spain’s vermouth has evolved alongside the nation, tracing its journey from international pariah during the Franco era (1939-1975) to the hub of culinary innovation and effortless cool that it is today. Once dismissed as the drink of grandparents, symbol of an era of political turmoil and economic hardship, it has undergone a renaissance in recent years, becoming a mainstay of hipsters and pensioners alike. Now, vermut is synonymous with those outdoor-terraza, laid-back afternoons of the sort that everyone loves about Spain.
El vermut is more than just a drink, it’s a way of life. And there’s no better example of the Spanish approach to life than la hora del vermut (‘vermouth hour’).
A uniquely Spanish tradition
The Spanish love their bars, and la hora del vermut is a much-loved weekend tradition that offers an excuse to enjoy them. It’s a chance to slow down and spend time with family and friends over a glass of the good stuff before heading to lunch.
The concept of having a drink and a bite is not unique to Spain. The Italians are famous for aperitivo, and the French have their apéro. But unlike their European neighbours, who generally enjoy their aperitifs before the evening meal, Spaniards convene for la hora del vermut before lunch.
The earlier timing of Spain’s siesta is said to originate from the years immediately following the Spanish Civil War; many rural labourers worked two jobs to support their families, dividing their days between a morning shift from 9am-2pm and an afternoon shift from 4pm-8pm. A two-hour lunch break in the middle allowed workers to rest or travel between jobs.
When Spain experienced extensive migration from rural to urban areas in the 1950s, this midday break remained an important part of the culture. Before long, the newly formed urban middle class could afford a drink on Sundays between attending Mass and sitting down to lunch – and la hora del vermut was born.
Why vermouth?
It was in the 1860s that vermouth debuted in Spain, when Italian brands such as Martini & Rossi began exporting to Madrid and Barcelona. Then Spanish companies began making vermouths of their own and the government levied a tariff on the foreign imports. Seeing an opportunity to get ahead of the competition, Martini invested in Spain, opening a factory in Barcelona and hiring leading modernist architects Antoni Gaudí, Pedro Falqués and Josep Puig i Cadafalch to design Bar Torino, to make vermouth fashionable in Barcelona. The bar only traded for nine years, closing in 1911, but the vermouth craze spread from there to the rest of the country. By the 1950s, el vermut was Spain’s most popular aperitif.
Until it wasn’t… After Franco’s death in 1975, Spain began to modernise. Beer became popular among young people and vermut became unfashionable – the drink of a bygone era that everyone wanted to forget. Vermut was an endangered species. And then, the tide changed. Around 2010, young people started drinking vermut again. Some say vermut’s affordability made it a logical drink of choice during the global financial crisis. Others credit its resurgence to hipsters’ obsession with all things ‘vintage’. Whatever the reason, vermut was back on top.
Now, more and more producers are making artisanal expressions that showcase Spain’s diversity. From Albariño-based iterations in Galicia, in the northwest, to the Pedro Ximénez- based vermouth of Andalucía in the far south, there’s no end to the variety of vermut on offer in Spain – or the enthusiastic consumers eager to drink it.
How to ‘do a vermut’
The vermut rules are simple: serve very cold, with or without ice. Add a couple of olives and an orange slice for red vermouth, or a slice of lemon for white vermouth. You can dilute the alcohol by adding a splash of soda water, or fortify it with a splash of gin. Spanish vermouth is typically sweeter than its French or Italian cousins, so pair it with something fatty or salty.
It’s common for potato chips or olives to appear. If you’re lucky, your vermutería of choice will give you a free tapa with your drink – perhaps a slice of tortilla or a gilda, the Basque pintxo of pickled guindilla peppers, anchovies and olives on a skewer that’s practically made to pair with a cold glass of vermut rojo (‘red’). Or there are boquerones (fresh anchovies marinated in vinegar), tinned fish, the iconic jamón Ibérico… the possibilities are endless.
If vermouth isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Hacer el vermut (or fer el vermut in Catalán) – ‘to do a vermouth’ – has become Spanish shorthand for an afternoon get-together. Though the Spaniards call it ‘vermouth hour’ you wouldn’t be out of place at la hora del vermut with beer, wine, or even a coffee.
Fatty or salty foods are good options for pairing with Spanish vermouth. Credit: Alexander Spatari / Getty Images
Spain’s iconic vermuterías
In Spain, you don’t have to go far to find good vermut. Most bars serve international brands alongside local examples. All you have to do is sit down and order ‘un vermut, por favor’. That said, there are definitely some bars worth seeking out.
Quimet & Quimet, Barcelona
Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25
In Barcelona, the original epicentre of vermut culture, there’s no place better – if you can secure a spot. The tiny bar only fits about 20 people, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in food and drink, with more than 500 options for wine, craft beer and vermut accompanied by montaditos, its famous open sandwiches.
Packed shelves at Quimet & Quimet. Credit: Paul Barron / Shutterstock
Bar Roberto Berri, San Sebastián
General Artetxe Kalea, 2
About a 15-minute walk from San Sebastián’s famous Playa de la Concha, Bar Roberto Berri is this city’s vermouth hub. Here, you’ll find locals enjoying a vermut on the street before heading out for an afternoon of pintxo-hopping. Try one of the ever- changing vermouths on tap.
La Guapa Vermutería, Alicante
Calle San Ildefonso, 7
Drink vermut with an Italian twist in Alicante at La Guapa Vermutería, which has a second site in the city’s Mercado Central on Avenida Alfonso de Sabio. As well as international vermouths, La Guapa offers vermut from Alicante that goes well with the house-made porchetta.
Casa Vizcaíno, Sevilla
Calle Feria, 27
A go-to filming location for movies and TV shows wanting to recreate old Sevilla (think Sky TV series Falcón), Casa Vizcaíno has been scribbling patrons’ tabs in chalk on the bar since 1935. It serves up no-frills vermut and beers seven days a week. casavizcaino.es
La Ardosa, Madrid
Calle de Colón, 13
Those looking for an authentic experience in Spain’s capital can step back in time at La Ardosa (pictured, p63). The tortilla here is said to be one of the best in Madrid. Virtually unchanged since 1892, this bar serves wine and vermut to Madrileños and tourists mingling around the wooden barrels.
La Hora del Vermut, Madrid
Mercado de San Miguel, Puestos 22-25
Contrast the classics with new-wave vermouth at this aptly named specialist bar in Madrid’s central market on Plaza de San Miguel. Opened around the beginning of the vermut renaissance in 2009, the bar offers 80 vermouths from all over Spain plus four on tap, paired with gildas and some 20 different types of olives.
Bodegas Yzaguirre in El Morell, Tarragona
Discover vermouth: Six Spanish examples to try
Casa Mariol Vermut Negro
Catalonia
Darker in colour than most (hence negro, or ‘black’), the colour coming from green walnuts, macerated in a base wine of white Macabeo with up to 150 botanicals including rosemary, thyme, orange peel, wormwood and cardamom. It’s barrel-aged for six months in a solera system prior to bottling. The nose is very herbaceous, with Mediterranean herbs, sweet cinnamon and clove. It’s light-bodied, with a lasting bitterness to the finish. Alcohol 15%
Destilerías Acha Atxa Vermouth
Rojo, Basque Country
One of the oldest businesses in Basque Country, Destilerías Acha has been making vermouth for over a century. The rojo (‘red’) Atxa is made from a neutral base wine, macerated with more than 30 botanicals including wormwood, gentian, cardamom, clove, hibiscus, camomile, cinnamon and fennel. It has more bitterness than other Spanish vermouths, with aromas of alpine herbs and dried orange peel. Alc 15%
Lustau Vermut Rojo
Andalucía
Reus and Barcelona were the first places in Spain to make vermouth, but Jerez down in Andalucía wasn’t far behind; Sherry houses made vermouth up until the 1970s. With the vermut boom of the 2010s, houses such as Lustau returned to making it. Produced from a blend of 10 year-old amontillado and Pedro Ximénez Sherries with botanicals like sage, gentian, coriander, wormwood and orange peel, this has notes of dried fig on the palate with a slightly bitter finish. Alc 15%
Martinez Lacuesta Vermut Rojo
Rioja
This Rioja winery has been making vermouth by the same secret recipe since 1937. In true old-school Rioja fashion, the botanicals and the base wine are macerated and aged for two to three years in American oak barrels. It has a classic nose of cinnamon, dried herbs and orange peel. The palate is sweet but not syrupy, balanced by a lasting bitterness. Alc 15%
St Petroni Vermú Vermello
Galicia
This Galician red vermouth (vermello is Galego for ‘red’) is an example of a newer style, in which the base wine is just as important as the botanicals. White Albariño from the Rías Baixas sub-zone of Ribeira do Ulla is the protagonist, alongside 29 botanicals such as bay leaf, rosemary, lemon verbena, orange peel and lemon. Much like Galician licor de hierbas liqueur, the nose has slightly medicinal notes, with bittersweet marmalade on the palate and a long finish. Alc 15%
Yzaguirre Vermouth Rojo
Catalonia
Founded in 1884 in El Morell, just inland from Tarragona, Yzaguirre is one of Spain’s oldest and best-known vermouth producers. Its rojo is a classic example of the less-bitter Spanish style of vermouth, in which the character of the botanicals is elevated above that of the base wine. Its slightly sweet palate and ripe red fruit nose with distinct cinnamon notes make it the perfect entry point for beginners. Alc 15%
