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Red · Sweet

Casals Vermouth Mediterráneo

Juan Torres Master Distillers (Familia Torres)

Penedès , España

7.1 /10

Vermutpedia Score: 7.1/10

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Overall impression

Casals Vermouth Mediterráneo is the red vermouth of Juan Torres Master Distillers (Familia Torres), named in honour of Juan Torres Casals, who created the original recipe for his wife Pepa and whose family rediscovered it in the archives after years in secrecy. According to casalsvermouth.com, it is the first vermouth to incorporate the ancestral Catalan variety Selma — recovered through a forty-year Familia Torres project to preserve pre-phylloxera viticultural heritage — enhanced with more than twenty Mediterranean botanicals from the Penedès. The official FAQ describes the process: aromatic white wine from local varieties including Selma, blended with three-year barrel-aged white wine, infused with botanicals pressed manually and separately. Balance between sweet and bitter, intense aromas, ideal for mixology. A two-reference range alongside Casals Zero, the first dealcoholised vermouth with ancestral Catalan varieties. For Vermutpedia, it represents authorial Penedès vermouth from Torres: Selma, Mediterranean botany and a recovered family recipe.

Nose and palate

The official website highlights a seductive Mediterranean bouquet with essences of the Penedès landscape. Documented botanicals in the FAQ include orange and mandarin peel, olive leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, thyme, rosemary, iris root and wormwood — hand-pressed separately to preserve purity and character. On the nose, expect an aromatic, complex profile with citrus layers from Mediterranean fruit, herbaceous notes of thyme and rosemary, sweet spices of cinnamon and cardamom, and a bitter backbone of wormwood. On the palate, the balance between sweetness and bitterness that the house defines as ideal for cocktail use; rich, viscous texture coherent with sweet Penedès vermouth. The three-year barrel-aged wine base adds depth and roundness without losing botanical freshness. Compared with industrial vermouths in the same tier, Casals brings Selma varietal identity and proximity Mediterranean botany — a vermouth for palates seeking Catalan aromatic expressiveness with Torres family heritage.

How to serve it

Casals Vermouth recommends enjoying it with family and friends, alone over ice with orange or mandarin peel — Mediterranean service that enhances the declared citrus botanicals. In mixology, the house publishes official recipes for Negroni, Manhattan, Boulevardier, Americano, Vieux Carré, Corpse Reviver, Casals Spritz and Casals On The Rocks, all with Casals as the lead ingredient. The sweet-bitter balance makes it versatile in classic cocktails where aromatic Penedès red vermouth is sought. Pairs with Mediterranean appetisers, olives, preserves and semi-cured cheeses. Serve cold, in a wide glass or low tumbler according to the cocktail. Available via the official online shop at petitceller.com. For Catalan hospitality, Casals brings the narrative of ancestral Selma and the Pepa & Juan recipe that differentiates the list from generic imported vermouths.

Production context

Juan Torres Master Distillers produces Casals Vermouth Mediterráneo in the Penedès (Catalonia), under Miguel Torres S.A. Process per FAQ: aromatic white wine from local varieties with Selma; blend with three-year barrel-aged white wine; infusion with more than twenty Mediterranean botanicals pressed manually and separately — orange, mandarin, olive, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, thyme, rosemary, iris, wormwood. 16% vol., 75 cl. A forty-year Familia Torres project to recover ancestral varieties; more than fifty rediscovered, six with winemaking potential. Casals Zero extends the range as a dealcoholised vermouth with ancestral varieties. For Vermutpedia, Casals Mediterráneo synthesises contemporary Catalan vermouth: Selma, Penedès botany, Torres family recipe and documented sweet-bitter balance at casalsvermouth.com.

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