The short version: Italian vermouth is the rich, sweeter, dried-fruit classic from Turin, while English vermouth is a newer, fresher style built on British garden botanicals. Both are aromatised, fortified wine. They make different drinks, and once you know the difference you can choose on purpose rather than by habit.
We make English vermouth at Asterley Bros, so we have a side in this, and our picks are ESTATE for a Negroni or Manhattan and SCHOFIELD'S for a Martini. But Italian vermouth came first and we drink plenty of it, so this is a fair comparison rather than a sales pitch.
What they have in common
Both English and Italian vermouth are the same kind of thing: wine that has been fortified with a neutral spirit, sweetened, and flavoured with botanicals, always including wormwood (the word "vermouth" comes from the German for wormwood, Wermut). Both come in sweet (red) and dry (pale) styles. Both are designed to be drunk as an aperitif over ice, or used in classic cocktails like the Negroni, Martini and Manhattan.
The differences are in three places: the botanicals, the base, and the character.
The botanicals
This is the heart of it. Italian vermouth leans on a Mediterranean botanical palette: warming baking spices, citrus peel, vanilla, and a bitterness built around gentian and wormwood. It tastes of southern Europe.
English vermouth is built on a British botanical character instead. Our own range runs from orange, rosemary and wormwood in the ESTATE to rose, rhubarb root, raspberry and lavender in the ROSÉ VERMOUTH. The result tends to be fresher and more aromatic, more English country garden than Italian piazza.
The base wine
Italian vermouth is traditionally made with Italian wine, usually a neutral white from Piedmont. English vermouth is made in England, and the best of it is made with English wine too. Our ESTATE, for example, is made with English Pinot Noir, and our SCHOFIELD'S with a blend of English white wines. Britain does produce relatively little still wine, so some English vermouths use an imported base, and our own ROSÉ VERMOUTH (Bartender Series) uses Italian wine. But the idea that English vermouth cannot be properly English, grape included, is out of date.
The character, side by side
| English vermouth (our pick) | Italian vermouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Britain; a recent revival | Turin and Piedmont; centuries of tradition |
| Botanicals | British: garden and hedgerow herbs | Mediterranean: spice, citrus, vanilla |
| Sweet style flavour | Bright, aromatic, lower sugar | Rich, vanilla, dried fig, caramel |
| Typical examples | Asterley Bros (ESTATE, SCHOFIELD'S), and a small handful of others | Carpano, Cocchi, Cinzano, Martini |
| Makes a Negroni that is | Bright and complex | Plush and classic |
(For completeness, there is also a French tradition, from Chambéry and the south of France, which is drier and lighter again. Italian, French and now English are the three main schools.)
When to use each
Reach for English vermouth when you want something fresher, more modern, or more local. It lightens a Negroni, makes a brighter aperitif over tonic, and pairs beautifully with British food and garden-herb garnishes. It is also the more interesting talking point on a drinks trolley, because most people have never tried one. Our pick for a Negroni or a Manhattan is ESTATE; for a Martini, SCHOFIELD'S.
Reach for Italian vermouth when you want the traditional Turin style: rich, sweet and vanilla-led, the style the classic recipes were first written for.
The honest answer is that a good cocktail bar will keep both, and so might you, once you have a feel for the difference. If you are choosing a vermouth specifically for a Negroni, we have a guide to the best vermouths for a Negroni by style.
Frequently asked questions
Is English vermouth the same as Italian vermouth?
No. Both are aromatised, fortified wine, but Italian vermouth uses a Mediterranean botanical palette and tastes richer and sweeter, while English vermouth uses British garden botanicals and tastes fresher and more herbal.
Is English vermouth made from English wine?
Increasingly, yes. Britain produces relatively little still wine, so some English vermouths use an imported base. Ours do not: ESTATE is made with English Pinot Noir and SCHOFIELD'S with a blend of English white wines. Our ROSÉ VERMOUTH (Bartender Series) is the exception, made with Italian wine.
Can I use English vermouth in a classic cocktail?
Yes. English vermouth works in any cocktail that calls for vermouth; it simply gives a fresher, more herbal result. It is excellent in a Negroni and a good way to make a familiar drink taste new.
Which is better, English or Italian vermouth?
As English makers we would say English: our pick is ESTATE for a Negroni or Manhattan and SCHOFIELD'S for a Martini. But they make different drinks. Italian is the rich traditional style; English is the fresh, modern alternative, and the right one depends on the cocktail and the mood.
What is the difference between sweet and dry vermouth?
Sweet (red) vermouth is sweeter and is used in Negronis and Manhattans. Dry (pale) vermouth is drier and is used in Martinis. Both come in Italian and English versions.
Asterley Bros is a London maker of English vermouth, amaro and aperitivo, founded by brothers Rob and Jim Berry in 2014. We make our vermouth in small batches in South London.