Vermouth is experiencing its rebirth, a second life that has redeemed it from the dust it had covered itself with. And this is also thanks to people like Paolo Dalla Mora, entrepreneur in the spirits sector and former founder of the Gin Engine, with its iconic can that recalls engine oils. Dalla Mora, in the course of his research, became passionate about the figure of Arnaldo Stucchi, who in 1907 published one of the most complete books on the history of Turin vermouth, which deals with every aspect of production, conservation and ageing. In the preface Strucchi explains the intent of the work as follows, in a passage that conveys the flavor of the time: “The publication of a book on Vermouth might have seemed a few years ago to be an inappropriate act, perhaps even incorrect, given that the preparation of this special product of our Piedmont was considered secret; but if they are different for the Piedmontese houses, which prepare and export Vermouth, the compositions of the extracts, or alcoholic infusions of drugs and aromatic herbs, in which the characteristics of the various brands reside, while respecting, as is right, these secrets , many other questions and topics of general interest arise for scholars and practitioners in the Vermouth industry and trade to legitimize, so to speak, the present publication”.
An enchanting volume that Dalla Mora has decided to fish out, producing an anastatic version of the 1909 edition (complete with 18 engravings and 12 phototype plates) and has put up for sale at the price of 18 euros for the many enthusiasts of this product, such as possible Christmas gift idea.
But Dalla Mora did more. He created a new brand dedicated to the Turin researcher, Strucchi Vermouth and Bitter, creating four different products with a delightfully twentieth-century aesthetic. Strucchi Bianco is obtained from the fortification and flavoring of Italian white wine and has aromas of marjoram, thyme and rosemary and a sweet and refreshing taste with a pleasantly bitter citrus finish; a product to be enjoyed alone, cold or on the rocks, but which also lends itself to the composition of cocktails. Strucchi Rosso is a meditation vermouth obtained from the fortification and flavoring of Italian white wine. It has aromas of Mediterranean scrub, savory, sage, and a strong, complex but at the same time elegant taste, with notes of cinchona balanced by the sweetness of the wine. A high-class vermouth that lends itself to the preparation of classic cocktails of the Italian tradition such as the Milano-Turin and the Negroni. Then there is Strucchi Dry, a vermouth unique in its own way, because here the Italian white wine is the basis of a dry and dry product, with pleasant notes of ginger that make it very versatile. Finally there is the Strucchi Bitter, made by infusing Italian white wine with a selection of herbs, roots and citrus peels, which gives life to a product with rich and complex aromas (rhubarb, cinchona, aloe, gentian).
Each of these products can be purchased individually on the company shop at the price of 20 euros per 75 ml bottle, or in the box containing four miniatures at the price of 16 euros. Among the products on sale, I also highlight the Strucchi Mi-To kit (160 euros), which transforms customers into refiners.
In the kit there is in fact a five-litre wooden barrel where you can combine the contents of three bottles of Strucchi Vermouth Rosso and Bitter Rosso Strucchi as you wish (but without betraying the recipe, if possible) and pour the Mi-To directly from the tap. ‘object. Strucchi products are distributed in Italy by Gaja.