20 best vermouths for making cocktails at home

Score: 81/100

For cocktails on a budget, look no further than Tesco, where you'll find this affordable, everyday rosso. Headily scented with notes of lavender, sage and mint, moving to more bitterness on the palate, some thought it tasted like a ready-made Manhattan.

Score: 81/100

The Cinzano brand is a trusted name when it comes to vermouth, with over 260 years of production under its belt. But this special bottle is part of the small batch 1757 range and offers more complexity.

You can expect dried fruit, figs and classic wormwood on the nose, moving towards a bittersweet palate, with pronounced caramel and a touch of cloves on the finish. Try it with a twist of orange, for a simple serve.

Score: 80/100

Created with English-grown pinot noir grapes and infused with a whopping 31 botanicals, including orange and rosemary, this sweet, Italian-style red vermouth is a total winter treat.

As well as being delicious over ice with an orange wedge, it would also make a fabulous negroni.

Score: 80/100

We’d buy this for the fun bottle alone, but this smooth vermouth is also the ideal aperitif to serve alongside tapas. With its rich, deep flavour — full of sweet tangerine and warming cinnamon — it’s just as delicious during the winter months as it is on sunny days.

Score: 77/100

Made using organic Aussie shiraz and chardonnay grapes, Regal Rogue is fast becoming popular with both bartenders and the at-home mixologist, thanks to its bold, spicy quality.

Bitter and sweet, with layers of black fruit and high acidity, it reminded some of a light port.

Score: 77/100

Think all vermouth is the same? Think again. The panel thought this Welsh fortified wine had a complex profile that was completely different from others on test.

It opens with an intense sweetness, but the botanicals add an uplifting coastal freshness, with notes of fennel, mint, lavender and wild shrubs. A must-try for vermouth fans.

Score: 75/100

Christmas canapés deserve a classy aperitif, and we think this is just the ticket. Testers loved the crunchy green apple and zingy lemon-sherbet freshness on the nose, which is balanced with a big bold palate, bursting with dried orange, figs, cloves and spicy black pepper.

Serve in chilled glasses alongside nibbles at your next gathering.

Score: 75/100

If you’re looking for a traditional Italian vermouth, look no further. Hotel Starlino rest theirs in ex-bourbon barrels, which adds a touch of vanilla and spice to the mix.

Properly bitter and herbaceous with notes of thyme, fennel and a touch of citrus peel, our panel enjoyed the earthy, complex flavour.

Score: 73/100

This stylish Spanish vermouth looks just as good on the drinks trolly as it tastes, making it an excellent gift. Thanks to lashings of orange peel, a hint of cloves and an herbaceous finish, we’d serve this one in a Manhattan cocktail.

Score: 72/100

Fans of the sweet and sophisticated tokaji wine will enjoy the sugary aroma of Sacred’s London-made vermouth. Searing acidity cuts through the rich dried fruit, orange, burnt caramel and spice — with many commenting that it tasted just like Christmas cake.

Score: 72/100

As the name suggests, the Discarded range takes waste materials from other areas of the supply chain and repurposes them in a range of spirits.

This vermouth utilities cascara — billions of tonnes of which are thrown away to produce coffee — which imparts its distinctive roasted flavour on this fruit-forward, jammy wine.

Score: 71/100

This rosé vermouth — made with three wines — impressed the panel with delicate notes of apple pie, redcurrant and rose petal.

The sweetness is balanced with a pleasant bitter note that adds long-lasting complexity. An excellent blush for a twist on your next Manhattan.

Score: 70/100

New to vermouth? Before splashing out on a branded bottle, test the waters with Co-op’s inexpensive Italian fortified wine.

Made using the trebbiano grape, this dry vermouth is light and delicate, making it an ideal everyday vermouth for cocktails that would benefit from a lingering bitter tarragon note and orange peel finish.

Score: 70/100

With a hefty thwack of liquorice, dark caramel and well-integrated wormwood, this bold vermouth is an excellent example of a classic Italian vermouth.

It contains quinine (the same stuff found in tonic water!), which explains the long long-lasting bitter finish. Try it in your next negroni, and we’re confident you won’t look back.

Score: 70/100

With winter spices such as cinnamon and clove coming to the fore, alongside subtle notes of clove, liquorice and orange peel, this well-priced vermouth is a great bottle to stock up on over the winter months.

Score: 70/100

Having been making vermouth for over 100 years, Cocchi knows a thing or two about the Italian fortified wine.

Concentrated notes of caramel, butterscotch, vanilla and cinnamon combine with a savoury herbaceous note for a pitch-perfect traditional vermouth that will work hard in your drinks cabinet.

Score: 70/100

Clean and pronounced, this is the epitome of a French, dry vermouth. Botanicals include chamomile, nutmeg and bitter orange, which lends itself well to a wet martini (which has a higher ratio of vermouth to gin than its dry counterpart).

Score: 70/100

Berlin-based Belsazar is a modern vermouth brand worth knowing about. Offering something wholly unique, expect notes of caramel, strawberry, mint and white pepper, with good acidity and a lasting bitterness.

This could happily replace the traditional red vermouth in your next negroni, adding a whole new complexity to your favourite cocktail.