Sweet and dry vermouth play different roles
Martini and Gibson use dry vermouth with gin. Manhattan and Rob Roy use sweet vermouth with different whiskies. Negroni and Boulevardier combine sweet vermouth with Campari and a base spirit, while Old Pal uses dry vermouth and rye. Follow the recipe's vermouth type rather than treating sweet and dry as interchangeable.
Explore beyond the familiar classics
Bronx combines both vermouth types with gin and orange juice. Martinez in this collection uses genever, sweet and dry vermouth, orange curaçao, and bitters. Hanky Panky adds Fernet-Branca to gin and sweet vermouth; Black Feather pairs brandy with dry vermouth, triple sec, and bitters. Keep opened vermouth refrigerated and follow the bottle's storage guidance. Most spirit-and-vermouth drinks are stirred with ice, but citrus-containing recipes can use a different method. Check the linked recipe for its proportions, glass, and technique.
