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Piamonte

Other · Medium-sweet

Martini Bitter

Martini & Rossi

Piamonte , Italia

Re-evaluation pending

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Overall impression

Vermutpedia is re-evaluating the Italian catalogue; this entry's Vermutpedia Score remains pending until the new tasting round is complete. MARTINI Bitter is not a rosso vermouth but a high-proof Italian bitter — 28% vol. — that reinterprets the classic 1872 Martini bitter with greater intensity and complexity, according to martini.com. Icon of the Turin aperitif in the Martini & Rossi line, it offers robust bitterness with depth and sophistication for classic cocktails. Intense red colour, inviting aroma and bold profile that elevates Negroni, Americano and mixed drinks calling for red bitter. The base combines gentian, cascarilla and sweet orange peel with rhubarb and orange zest notes adding vivacity; gentian adds deep persistence. Made in Piedmont with more than 150 years of house artisan heritage. 75 cl. For Vermutpedia, it represents the accessible reference Italian bitter: more potent than a rosso, less exclusive than Riserva Speciale Bitter with saffron and calumba in oak, but essential in Italian aperitif culture documented on Martini's official website.

Nose and palate

Herbal, spiced nose with floral and citrus notes over a background of gentian and cascarilla. On the palate, initial robust bitterness balanced by contained sweetness; rhubarb and orange zest add vibrant brightness while gentian builds depth and long persistence. Denser, more alcoholic texture than 15–18% vermouth, assertive passage, long finish refreshing in bitter-herbal register. Compared with Campari, Martini Bitter is somewhat rounder and less aggressively citrus in some tastings; against Martini Rosso, it is radically more bitter and alcoholic. It does not seek vinous roundness but bold balance between bitterness, spice and functional sweetness for cocktails. A bitter for palates that value aromatic intensity and sophisticated bitterness, consistent with the official description of «robust bitterness with depth and sophistication» on martini.com.

How to serve it

The house proposes the MARTINI Rosso Americano: 35 ml MARTINI Rosso, 35 ml MARTINI Bitter, 70 ml soda, ice and orange slice — official recipe on martini.com. Also alone with ice and orange as an intense aperitif, in Negroni replacing Campari for a more herbal-Martini profile, or in bitter Spritz with prosecco and soda. In classic cocktails calling for red bitter: Boulevardier, Milano-Torino, bitter Garibaldi. Cold temperature; abundant ice that softens the 28% vol. without diluting character. Official pairing: salty, fatty dishes —cured meats, tartare, burrata— that cushion the bitter's aromatic intensity. Not light terrace vermouth: an aperitif with presence. 75 cl format. For Vermutpedia, Martini Bitter demands cocktails or service with ice and citrus garnish, as prescribed by aperitif culture on the Martini website.

Production context

Martini & Rossi (Piedmont, Italy) makes MARTINI Bitter as a modern reinterpretation of the classic 1872 bitter, with dedication to tradition and craftsmanship according to martini.com/it. Flavour base: gentian, cascarilla and sweet orange peel; rhubarb and orange zest notes; complex, deep profile with long persistence. 28% vol., 75 cl. Distinct from MARTINI Riserva Speciale Bitter — inspired by the 1872 recipe with saffron, angostura and calumba, rest in oak — the standard Bitter is the more accessible, omnipresent bar option. Owned by Bacardi Limited. Contains sulphites. For Vermutpedia, Martini Bitter synthesises the classic high-volume Italian bitter: 28% vol., gentian-cascarilla-orange and aperitif recipes verifiable at martini.com/products/martini-bitter/.

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