After almost 12 months of research and recipe development, we are excited to introduce our first ever vermouth at Beaufort. Vermouth, a fortified, aromatized wine, has its roots in ancient Europe, where it was originally used a digestive tonic. Bitter herbs, spices, and citrus fruit are often used in flavouring either the base wine, or the fortifying liquor. Often sweetened, though sometimes not, vermouth can be enjoyed solo over ice, or as an ingredient in cocktails and mixed drinks.

Ours is a modern take on an ancient wine. We fortified our base wine â a single varietal Madeleine Sylvaner â with vodka from Sheringham Distillery in Sooke. We infused the vodka with a secret blend of 11 botanicals including wormwood, rosemary, vanilla, lemon and juniper. Our vermouth is sweetened with natural cane sugar to off-dry. A real small batch Island vermouth â every bottle was hand-filled, and hand-labelled. Only 100 cases produced.

We suggest pouring a glass of Beaufort Vermouth over ice and adding a twist of lemon or orange for a refreshing aperitif. Alternatively, try Beaufort Vermouth as an ingredient in a classic cocktail like a Vesper Martini or, better still, a White Negroni.