Antica Formula Vermouth Giuseppe Carpano

The original sweet vermouth, and still the benchmark. Rich and bitter-sweet, it belongs on a cheese board or beside dark chocolate rather than in a cocktail shaker.

Carpano Antica Formula is a sweet vermouth produced by the Fratelli Branca distillery in Milan, made according to a recipe attributed to Antonio Benedetto Carpano, who is widely credited with inventing vermouth in Turin in 1786.

The original recipe was rediscovered and relaunched in 1997, and the formula draws on a base of white wine fortified with neutral spirit and infused with a proprietary blend of herbs, spices, vanilla, and botanicals sourced according to that historical specification.

What distinguishes Antica Formula from most contemporary sweet vermouths is its notable vanilla character, its rich amber colour, and a complexity that leans toward dried fruit, cocoa, and warm spice rather than the lighter, more astringent profile common to many mass-market examples.

5 percent alcohol, which is standard for the category. At 375ml this bottle is a practical size for those who understand that vermouth is a wine-based product and benefits from refrigeration after opening.

Bartenders consider it a benchmark for stirred whisky and spirit-forward cocktails, particularly the Manhattan and Negroni, where its body and sweetness integrate without overwhelming the base spirit. It is equally enjoyable served over ice with a strip of orange peel as an aperitivo.

The price represents fair value for a vermouth of this standing.