Yzaguirre has been making vermouth in Reus, Catalonia since 1884, and it’s often cited as the oldest Spanish vermouth brand still in continuous production. The Reserva Red is built from a proprietary blend of nearly 80 herbs and spices — gentian, coriander, dittany of Crete, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla among them — then aged a full 12 months in oak barrels, which is what pushes it from Yzaguirre’s Classic range into Reserva territory. Wine Enthusiast’s Kara Newman reviewed it in a blind tasting, picking up a rich aroma of ripe blackberry, cassis, dried cherry, and tart cranberry, with the palate echoing that fruit before light bitterness from gentian and grapefruit pith takes over, finishing with just a whisper of espresso. Locally, it’s picked up Gold at both the 2014 CINVE competition and the 2015 Premis Vinari dels Vermuts Catalans. Bottled at 18% ABV, mahogany-red in the glass, and genuinely velvety on the palate. Yzaguirre recommends the classic Catalan vermut hour serve: on ice with a few drops of Campari, a slice of orange, and fresh mint — though it holds its own with hearty stews, seafood paella, or dessert too.
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