Antica Formula 1 Litre

Carpano is basically where modern vermouth began. Without this Turin producer, there’s a decent chance half the cocktail world wouldn’t currently exist in its current form, which would be terrible news for Negronis, Manhattans and people who enjoy dramatically stirring drinks while pretending they know what bitters actually taste like individually.

The story starts back in 1786 when Antonio Benedetto Carpano supposedly combined Moscato wine with herbs and spices in Turin, creating the first recognisable vermouth. Italy then understandably looked at this aromatic fortified masterpiece and decided aperitivo culture should become an entire lifestyle. A very sensible national decision overall.

Carpano’s most famous creation today is probably Antica Formula, a rich, dark, deeply spiced vermouth that has become near-sacred among bartenders. Loaded with vanilla, dried fruit, bitter herbs, orange peel and warming spice, it somehow manages to taste luxurious, herbal and faintly medicinal all at once. Which sounds concerning until you try it and immediately start planning cocktails.

What makes Carpano especially brilliant is that the products still feel deeply Italian. These are drinks built around appetite, conversation and slow drinking rather than pure alcohol delivery systems. Even the bitterness feels elegant. Italy somehow has a talent for making bitter things feel welcoming instead of hostile.

There’s also a lovely old-world confidence to the brand. Carpano doesn’t really need reinvention because it already helped invent the category in the first place. Hard to get more established than that really.