Until recently, I’ve mistakenly never given much thought or consideration to vermouth. As long as the gin or whiskey was decent and the garnish right, the rest seemed beside the point. Only when I switched out the standard sweet vermouth for this bottle of Antonio Carpano’s Antica Formula did my foolish perceptions change – and none too soon.
The layers of complexity, the sudden richness, the full-bodied substance of a Negroni or a Manhattan immediately flowered anew before me. It was like someone switched on the most glorious light to reveal gorgeous vistas of amber waves of joyous grain. How could I have been so stupid? It’s nice to have these moments of evolution and improvement. There is no shame in admitting mistakes or ignorance. The only shame is in not improving when it’s an option – and there is always a way to make things better. Don’t ever settle.
