Yzaguirre Dry Reserva Vermouth 1L
Yzaguirre was founded in 1884 in Reus, Catalonia, making it the oldest Spanish vermouth brand still in production today and the first Spanish winery to release a Vermouth Reserva. The house continues to operate from El Morell, near Tarragona, where it produces a wide range of vermouths under a secret formula that has stayed largely unchanged for over 140 years, following the same era in which vermouth recipes first migrated from Italy into Catalonia.
Dry Reserva begins with a white wine base made from hand-picked, indigenous Macabeo grapes left to ferment naturally, then blended with a proprietary aromatic extract drawn from more than forty botanicals, including wormwood, cardamom, cinnamon, clary sage, coriander, and yarrow, macerated for months to develop depth. The finished vermouth rests for a full year in oak barrels previously used for aging rum, a step that lends the vermouth its light straw color and softens its character with subtle woody notes.
In the glass, Dry Reserva shows pale gold with amber highlights, opening with delicate fruit and grassy aromas that turn earthier and slightly minty with air. The palate is velvety and warm, carrying gentle spice from cardamom and coriander through to a clean, dry finish.