By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
Vanguard Luxury Brands has added a new Italian vermouth, Oscar.697, to its distribution portfolio.
The man behind the vermouth, Stefano Di Dio, wanted to add a modern twist to the traditional Italian aperitif. To help him create his vision, famed bartender Oscar Quagliarini, who has worked in both Milan and Paris, took on the project, spending three months perfecting the new recipe.
Oscar.697 is available in three varieties – Bianco, Rosso and Extra Dry – which all adhere to the vermouth production guidelines set by Italian authorities. Both the Bianco and Rosso have a 16 per cent ABV and low sugar quantities. The Bianco has strong notes of bergamot, yarrow muscat and elderflower, and is drier and more bitter than other white vermouths. The Rosso has strong notes of Absinthe, rhubarb and licorice.
With the ethos behind Oscar.697 centring around bucking tradition, Di Dio and Quagliarini also decided to make an extra dry vermouth, which is normally associated with French producers. Their Extra Dry vermouth has an ABV of 18 per cent, and with very little sugar added (only 2.5 per cent). It has strong notes of wild fennel, dog rose and oak infusion. While it is drier than a lot of its counterparts, it remains aromatic.