Susan: How were they drinking it? In the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties? Now, is it pretty much the same? I’m talking traditional vermouth drinking. Susan: So I was wondering with your vermouth, because it is made out of wine, do you ever make sangria from it? If they would drink another gin and tonic or some other drinks you would say, “Oh, this guy. or this mummy is getting drunk.” But since they are drinking vermouth, then it is socially accepted. It’s a nice way to meet friends and share some food before lunch. So that’s the moment – it’s called La Hora del Vermut.

We add some alcohol at the vermouth house for 15% of alcohol volume. And at that moment, we add the sweetness. The traditional method is adding a little bit of caramel and the old vermouths in Spain do it. It’s the traditional way to do it. With a modern, vibrant bottle design, the new El Bandarra Al Fresco is recommended for a simple serve of one part Al Fresco and two parts tonic water over ice, garnished with an orange slice. If you’ve been to any rooftop or riverside haunt when Britain hits the balmy temperature heights of 12 degrees – hell, even if you haven’t – then you’ll know that the most popular way to serve an apéritif (think: Aperol or Campari) is with soda and a citrus wedge. Most apéritifs add quinine to bring that bittersweet characteristic, meaning tonic is a welcome mixer, too. Alex: Yeah, at some point, we thought maybe we should add some more sweetness, but it has a good, really perfect balance between bitterness and sweetness. Maybe it’s a touch dry, but it’s not as dry as or more bitter as others, it’s a soft vermouth. It’s very soft. That’s what we did. We maintained the recipe. At that point, there was no branding. It was only in barrels. No branding.

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A new vermouth created by two brothers in Barcelona to challenge “the uptight nature of the drinks business” is being launched in the UK. Alex: We have an obsession for this. Now we are working on a campaign for Al Fresco, our new aperitive. In our new campaign, we will talk about our grannies, our abuela’s. Alex: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They never get drunk. They always stay in this perfect level. We have a word in Spanish – it’s called piripi. When you feel you are a piripi – it’s this moment when you’re not drunk, but you’re you have this feeling. The grannies are the best. Much like finally finding the right sunglasses for your face shape, nailing the art of aperitivo hour is crucial to enjoying a successful summer.

It’s amazing how in many export markets and many in the UK, they understand perfectly the aperitif category. They love Barcelona and our energy as a brand. And it’s doing really well, even with the COVID restrictions. I mean, I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t like Al Fresco, so it’s great. Amongst the range, there is also the Bandarra Spritz — a refreshing long drink that offers guests that Barcelona-by-the-beach feeling. Prepping a tumbler glass with ice, simply pour 1/3 El Bandarra Al Fresco into your glass. Adding cava, a dash of soda water and a garnish of grapefruit, ice and an olive, it will become near impossible to get rid of your party guests. Obviously, in Italy, we make the Spritz with Prosecco,” explains Luca. “If you go to France, they will tell you it should be with Champagne or Crémant, and everywhere else it’s different.” There’s plenty of opportunity to play around with your vino of choice, from Cava, to English sparkling, to new non-alc options and more. DITCH OR SWITCH THE SODA

El Bandarra Al Fresco Details

Alex: So it would be a El Bandarra Al Fresco and tonic for sure. And I would say, Formentera, it’s a little Island, close to Ibiza. Very, very cute and very small, it’s a paradise. That’s what I would and where I would drink