Barbadillo - Ataman, Vermut, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain

TASTING NOTES

A rich and distinctly herbal vermouth with a charactersistic, bold bitterness and real depth of flavour. Quinine, artichoke and green olive brine, caramelized sugar, orange peel and eucalyptus.

Ataman, rather curiously, was a title given a Cossack chief, and here sees the relaunch of a range first created by Barbadillo in the 1940s. These vermouths ceased being on sale over fifty years ago and the remaining stocks have been ageing in oak casks in their cellars since then. This new version is based on the original using absinthe, quassia tree bark, rosemary, Seville orange and elderberry on a base of manzanilla sherry. A small amount of the original stock is also blended in.

Founded in 1821 by Benigno Barbadillo Hortigüela, who was born in Burgos (North of Madrid) and settled in Sanlúcar after having lived in Mexico for twenty years. When Benigno bought the old Bodegas El Toro in 1824, the company grew rapidly, with exports to the UK and the US starting in the next few years. In 1827 he was the first to name a wine Manzanilla (branded Divina Pastora) and to sell it in bottle (before that, sherry was transported to bars in small barrels).

Barbadillo is currently run by the seventh generation of the family and owns 500 hectares of vineyards spread over two estates, Gibalbín and Santa Lucía, both of which are located in the Jerez Superior area.