OTTO’S ATHENS VERMOUTH

In Europe, vermouth is a necessity —a delicious and refreshing low-alcohol drink to enjoy day or night, consumed on the rocks by itself, or as a “long drink” with vermouth or tonic. A great vermouth is the perfect summertime libation —and this is the perfect vermouth.

Vermouth is actually a fortified wine, meaning it’s wine that’s been infused with herbs, spices, and other botanicals, and had the alcohol bumped up a bit with the addition of some neutral spirit. The name “vermouth” comes from vermut, or wormwood, which is an ingredient in many vermouths —and which you’ll find in a bottle of the vermouth that you’re about to enjoy.

Otto’s Athens Vermouth was launched in 2017 by Nikos Bakoulis and Vasilis Kyritsis, bartenders at The Clumsies —Athens’ finest bar and voted the #6 bar on the planet by the prestigious World’s 50 Best Bars organization. Otto’s was created with a nod to the swinging 1960s, when the international jet set flocked to Athens, and their drink of choice was vermouth with ice and soda. Today, Athens is once again a cosmopolitan hotspot, and the times call once more for a truly great vermouth. Otto’s delivers.

Otto’s is Athens in a bottle, with a base of high quality Greek wine infused with rose petals, wormwood, citrus, olive leaves, and native Athenian herbs like oregano and angelica. The nose is both sweet and herbaceous, balanced by a bright citrus tang. On the palate, its sweetness is tempered by a slight bitterness on the finish, with fresh floral and citrus notes predominant throughout.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy Otto’s, but we suggest starting off by filling a highball glass with ice, adding a couple of ounces of Otto’s, top it off 3-4 ounces of soda, and garnish with a twist of orange peel. Coming in at 17% ABV, Otto’s is ideal for daytime drinking, so bright summer sunshine makes for a perfect pairing. For more ways to enjoy it, you can use your imagination... or start out with the recipes included in this book and go from there.