You do not have to look very hard to find a new Vodka, Gin, Rum, or Tequila since almost everyday there is a new brand out there trying to get you to buy their "new innovation". But this trend does not happen all that often, if at all, when it comes to Vermouth. Most people when they think of Vermouth, they just think of Martini & Rossi and never give it another thought. But a new version of the spirit has hit the scene with substantial potential and quality. La Quintinye Vermouth Royal has burst onto the scene and it should replace your thinking when it comes to Vermouth.

La Quintinye Vermouth Royal is not just a Vermouth, it is three different types of extremely high-quality Vermouth. The brain-child of grape distiller extraordinaire Jean-Sebastien Robicquet (Ciroc Vodka) and EWG (G'Vine Gin). La Quintinye Vermouth Royal comes in a trilogy of flavors: Blanc, Extra Dry, and Rouge, each with their own distinct flavor to give classic and modern cocktails their proper due.

Vermouth, by definition, is a type of fortified wine that is flavored with herbs and spices and often mixed with other alcoholic drinks; a dry or sweet aperitif wine flavored with aromatic herbs and often used in mixed drinks.

Now since Vermouth can be flavored with almost anything, most commonly used is Wormwood (artemisia), Robicquet's ingenious idea was to use Pineau des Charente s as the fortifying spirit in the recipe. What this does is add extremely more flavor as well as increase the strength. Also, because La Quintinye Vermouth Royal is only made with white wine in all three of the flavors, you get the flavor of Pineau des Charentes to shine through more vibrant.

Blanc

Nose: Sweet up front, with grapefruit, hay, pine and lots of leafy herbs, heavy sage

Palate: Sweet with orange and light licorice, but with fewer herbs and less complexity than the nose. Wine gums, woody hints and an oily mouth-feel lead to gentle herbal bitterness and a touch of fragrant wood and herb.

Finish: Sweet orange and grapes, brioche, spiced pastry, dried apples and a touch of green leafiness.

Extra Dry

Nose: Lots of Herb, predominantly dried herbs rather than fresh: rosemary, sage and lavender. Buttery notes and a hint of grape sweetness.

Palate: Lightly soured white wine to begin, buttered bread and an almost soapy softness in the middle. There was a lot of lavender and towards the end a growing tannic grapeskin note.

Finish: Peppery spice, sage, wormwood bitterness and lingering tannins.

Rouge

Nose: Syrupy sweetness overridden by bitter wormwood, sage and bay leaf. Spicy black pepper with sandalwood, ground roots perfumed wood.

Palate: Sweet and rich, with a gentle woody and herbal bitterness behind. Sticky cherries, ground spice, coriander seed and leaf, and a woody dryness.

Finish: Lingering green bitterness and soft, sweet port notes turning to dry, tannic bitteness over time.

Recipes

Royal Cassis

• 1 1/2 oz Vermouth Royal Extra Dry
• 1/2 oz Creme de Cassis
• 6 oz Soda Water

Serve over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and use licorice stick as stirrer

Royal Negroni

• 1 1/2 oz Vermouth Royal Rouge
• 1 1/2 oz G'Vine Nouaison Gin
• 1 oz Campari

Pour all ingredients into an ice filled old-fashioned glass and stir. Garnish with an orange twist

L'Orangerie

• 2 1/2 oz Vermouth Royal Blanc
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 2 Drops Angostura Bitters

Serve over ice, stirred. Garnish with an orange twist

So the name of La Quintinye Vermouth Royal is derived from the gardener of Louis XIV, Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinye. He was the chief architect and responsible for the maintenance of the Kings 1,976 acre luxury garden named The Gardens of Versailles. Needless to say, this was a job of great magnitude as he was in charge of producing fruit and vegetables for the King as well as maintaining a perfectly manicured garden that was fit for a King. So aptly is the name La Quintinye Vermouth Royal derived from in honoring this amazing man. Also, where the slogan of this incredible vermouth was born - "Drink like a King"