ANTICA FORMULA
Antica Formula is the Italian vermouth par excellence. Each bottle is a faithful reproduction of the original from the 18th century and a true mark of distinction and tradition.
The first sip of any Manhattan and I instantly recall my first. Ironically, a Manhattan in London. In a basement bar on Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge. What I didn’t know until years later, was the name of the magic potion that made that Manhattan so memorable. It was vermouth; specifically Carpano Antica Formula. It was the original vermouth trade marked by Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786. I recall the oversized green bottle being lifted and poured into the crystal mixing glass. I see the antiqued yellow label, a replica of the original, that has valiantly ignored all marketing edits for over 200 years. It is widely agreed upon that Antica Formula is the gold standard of vermouths. Although often challenged and creatively contrasted, it is never replaced in making one the founding fathers of cocktails, the Manhattan.
Vermouth is a fortified wine, or better understood as an aperitif. The root of the word aperitif is Latin and means “to open”. Aperitifs are known for their bittersweet quality that persuasively arouse the appetite. According to European law, all vermouths must contain three ingredients - wine, wormwood, and a fortifying spirit. At the foundation of vermouth is the grape. Wherever there has been wine, there has been vermouth. Vermouth was a way to repurpose grapes not suitable for the vintage. Vermouth is required by law to be composed of at least 75% wine, with an ABV between 14.5% and 22%. The unique combination of herbal, sweet, and bitter is what makes vermouth a perfect partner to so many spirits and create the beautiful complexity of a cocktail.
A spectacular vermouth like Antica Formula is like having a high quality lens on a film camera. The camera body is important to be sure; but as any photographer will confirm, it is the quality of the glass that provides crystal clear focus resulting in beautiful images. Without good glass you end up with soft edges, lack of contrast, and never able to capture the moments full spectrum. Similarly, using a vermouth absent of richness or depth, even with the most expensive of spirits, will never result in the anticipated outcome. But use a high quality, beautiful vermouth and even the most difficult spirits to capture are brought into a sharp, contrasting, and memorable moment.
To enjoy Antica Formula only mixed in a cocktail is to miss the rich history and depth of it on it’s own. In keeping with over 200 years of the Carpano tradition, only three people hold the secrets behind the production and recipe of Antica Formula. What is known is its bouquet is filled with unmistakable notes of vanilla harvested from Madagascar and Tahiti and its saffron, one of the most exclusive and expensive spices as approximately 150,000 flowers are required to obtain one kilogram, comes from Iran. Finally, the wormwood from the Piedmont Alps gives Antica Formula its unmistakable herbatious pedigree.
The well worn advice on the role of vermouth in cocktails is this, “If bitters is pepper, bringing a bit of spice to any drink, then vermouth might just be the salt that makes all the flavors shine.” If you are going to have one salt shaker in your kitchen, have Carpano Antica Formula. Every Manhattan, or any other cocktail you pour with it will be richer and better because of it.
I’d like to raise a glass to Carpano Antica Formula. Because it didn’t change its ancient yellow label or its centuries old recipe, I along with millions of others, enjoyed the brown beauty of a Manhattan with all the clarity, color, and beauty it was created to be.
Jared Ray Mackey
