Vermut de Reus - the mark of quality in southern Catalonia

Just like calçots from Valls and caragols (snails) from Lleida, vermouth also has its own close association with a very specific part of Catalonia: Reus. 

Some of the most popular brands of vermouth across the country come from the southern Catalan city, and ‘vermut de Reus’ holds an almost legendary status in the universe of beverages across the world – if a vermouth is from Reus, you can be assured of its high quality. 

But how did it get to be this way? Why is vermouth so strongly associated with Reus? 

In the 19th and 20th centuries, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek phrase commonly heard around Catalonia simply listed out the names of three of the most important cities in Europe: “Reus, París, i Londres” – Reus, Paris, and London. Putting the southern Catalan city on the same level as the French and English capitals, juggernauts in finance, enterprise, and culture, was perhaps done with more than a hint of irony, but the phrase comes from truthful foundations as these were the three cities where the price of aiguardent, a distilled alcoholic spirit that translates loosely as ‘firewater’ in English, was set. 

For centuries, Catalans have enjoyed “la hora del vermut,” or in English, “the vermouth hour,” or "vermouth time," a time of day when people slow down and sip a cool glass of vermouth and catch up on life.

Press play below to listen to our podcast, Filling the Sink, on Catalonia's favorite fortified beverage, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify.

Wine economy

In the 18th century, the Reus economy was one of the strongest in Europe in wine and spirits production, so much so that it became the second biggest city in Catalonia at the time only after Barcelona. Demand increased further after the onset of the Great Wine Blight in France in the 1860s, helping boost the drinks economy in southern Catalonia further. The city walls were knocked down to expand further, while extravagant palaces were built. Reus was a wealthy and important city. 

However, some decades later the grape phylloxera also arrived in Catalonia and killed many vineyards. Yet, infrastructure was already in place and production was already high enough for distillers to start experimenting with the botanicals to make vermouth in Reus by the late 19th century, a drink that was first made at the end of the 18th century near Turin, in the old Duchy of Savoy.

How is vermouth made? 

Vermouth is a simple drink of few ingredients, but one that requires a fine balance to get right. To define it, it is an aromatized, fortified wine. 

The aperitif is made from a base of wine, white wine in the vast majority of cases. This is then fortified by adding close to pure alcohol, which obviously strengthens it but also prolongs its shelf-life. 

Then, the aromas: this is the part that gives a vermouth its distinct character and profile. Wormwood is always added – it is the strongest flavour and the one essence that is vital. Wormwood, a plant otherwise known as artemisia absinthium, is also used to make absinthe, even gives vermouth its name, coming from the German ‘wermut.’

On top of wormwood, other botanicals are added to give the drink its personality. Generally, flavours are added from different categories: fruity, herbal, exotic, bitter. 

Lastly, sugar is required. To make white vermouth, the sugar will be regular liquid sugar, while red vermouth is made with caramel.

The quantity of sugar added will determine what type of vermouth it is, from extra dry, dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Vermouth is classified this way, rather than red/white, something of a common misconception. A sweet red and a sweet white vermouth will be a lot more similar to each other than a sweet and dry red. 

First vermouth brands

In 1892, Joan Gili registered the first vermouth brand in Reus, kicking off a tradition that would grow and grow, eventually becoming the flourishing vermouth culture of today. 

Operating in the same city at the same time were drinks entrepreneurs whose recipes are still enjoyed today, such as Enrique Yzaguirre and Marcelino Rofes, while other major brands like Fot-li, Olave, Miró, Mayner, Quer, and Iris were established.

Vermouth from Reus tended to be sweeter than Italian vermouth, which was a bit more bitter, and French vermouth, which was particularly dry in taste. This straight palatability has likely contributed to the fact that Spain is the only country in the world where vermouth is commonly drank solo, or with ice only, whereas in other countries it is usually mixed with something else before being served, or used purely as a component in cocktails. 

Decline and revival

Vermouth remained one of Catalonia’s most popular drinks from its beginnings up until around the 1980s, when cocktail culture overtook the more humble aromatized wine. 

Things stayed this way for some decades until disaster struck across the globe. The 2008 financial crash hit Spain particularly hard for a number of years afterwards, and people generally had much less spending power than before this crucial 21st-century turning point. 

In the aftermath of ‘la crisis’, vermouth’s popularity rose again largely thanks to how cheap it is to produce and enjoy in a bar or at home. A decade and a half on, fresh life has been breathed into vermouth culture across Catalonia and Spain, with vermuterias – bars specializing in the drink, and the afternoon snacks that go with it – more popular than ever. 

Reus today

Nowadays, the impact that the vermouth industry has had on the southern Catalan city is still plain to see. It the early 20th century it was a wealthy city, built on the back of the drinks business.

Revered architect Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus, and with the backing of wealthy patrons, he left his mark on his home city with a number of his trademark modernisme palaces and buildings. 

The city’s tourism board promotes a ‘ruta de vermut’ for enthusiasts to follow, a vermouth route to find some of the most historic establishments in the city to enjoy a fine drop.

The program offers various different ways to enjoy vermouth, from historic bars, to visiting cellars where the drinks are made, to even a guide of festivals put on throughout the year to take part in.