This summer, think beyond wine spritzers and sweet concoctions. Instead, how about delving into the more sophisticated side of summer 2024 cocktail trends?
Adrian Lindsay, lead barman at Missy Lane’s Assembly Room in Durham, North Carolina, and owner of the Ideal Bartending Company, puts a unique spin on enjoying this season’s cocktail trends.
The bar consultant and private bartending business professional encourages us to consider three unexpected warm-weather sipping options: vermouth, tequila and whiskey.
Vermouth’s Impact On Summer 2024 Cocktail Trends
“Vermouth is a growing category…Especially with low alcohol [drinks] being a thing right now,” observes Lindsay. For some, this fortified wine’s bitterness may be an acquired taste, but it’s one definitely worth exploring.
“We’re getting into different flavor profiles with vermouth. We have some that have an orange flavor and you have some that are super bitter. You even have some that have a coffee profile,” lists the professional bartender. “There’s a lot of complexity in vermouth.”
A current favorite on his radar is Mancino Sakura Vermouth, described as a blend of 20 botanicals, including cherry blossoms from Japan and Italian viola flowers.
“It’s incredibly delicious by itself, on the rocks or with some citrus in it,” suggests Lindsay, a beloved Durham bartender, about how to enjoy the limited edition vermouth of which only 4000 bottles are produced each year.
For newcomers to sipping vermouth, Lindsay says it’s best to begin with the classic trio. “You can start with the basics: a sweet vermouth, which is generally red; a dry vermouth, which is generally white or clear, and a blanco, which is also clear but tends to be a little sweeter. They all will have a little bitter component,” he notes.
Beyond the well-known Martini & Rossi, Lindsay directs our attention to Puig Campana Vermouth and Atxa Vino Vermouth, two popular brands to try on your tasting journey.
To further broaden your sipping experience with vermouth, the career bartender suggests adding a few extras to your bar. “You’re going to need tonic, club soda and different types of citrus,” he says.
“Because the thing about vermouth is this: if I were to take a sweet vermouth and add club soda to it, it’s going to taste very different if I squeeze a lime in it versus if I squeeze a lemon or an orange in it. Citrus will bring out different aspects of your vermouth.”
Sip Tequila in Style
Among summer 2024 cocktail trends, Lindsay also hones in on the popularity of tequila. “I think tequila is a hot category in drinking,” he affirms, not only this summer but in the industry as a whole.
“The thing with tequila, in drinking agave, is you usually don’t get headaches. You don’t get hangovers—with a good tequila.” Now that’s a thought we can all get behind! According to this experienced bartender, the best way to enjoy tequila is to sip it, neat.
By Jocelyn Amador
