Poor Man’s Vieux Carré, The Winter of Sweet Vermouth (and the $5 Bottle That Changed Everything)
I’ve spent this brutal, snow-blown winter rediscovering the utility of the "fridge bottle." In years past, sweet vermouth was a ghost in my refrigerator door—bought for a single Tipperary, then left to languish until it lost its zeal. But something about this season’s deep freeze sent me to Trader Joe’s for a liter of Solo Rosso. At $4.99, it’s a low-stakes investment that has somehow become the champion of my bar cart.
Lately, I’ve been chasing the spirit of a Vieux Carré without the Cognac price tag. My solution? The Poor Man’s Vieux Carré. We’re swapping the brandy for the oaky, tropical funk of Appleton Estate 8-Year Rum and leaning on the high-proof heat of Wild Turkey 101 Rye to cut through the cold. It’s warm, herbaceous, and punchy enough to make you forget the wind chill.
Specs/Build
• 1 oz Solo Rosso Vermouth
• 1 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye
• 1 oz Appleton Estate 8 Year Aged Rum
• 2 barspoons Bénédictine
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• Stir over plenty of ice. Strain into a chilled coupe or over a massive rock. Express a lemon peel over the top, drop it in, and enjoy.
