Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo, Best vermouth in Catalonia 2026

Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo has been named Best Catalan Vermouth 2026 at the Premis Vinari dels Vermuts Catalans, taking the competition’s highest honour at its twelfth edition. The award has particular significance in Catalunya, the region in north-eastern Spain where vermouth has deep roots in local wine culture. In towns and cities across the region, fer el vermut — literally, ‘to have vermouth’ — is also a long-established social ritual: meeting before lunch for a drink and something to eat.

At the same edition, Rojo Amargo also received the Vinari Grand Gold award for Best Reserva Vermouth 2026, further strengthening its position in one of the market’s most highly valued categories. These honours confirm the quality and distinctive identity of a product with an outstanding track record. They also come at a particularly meaningful time for the brand, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of Padró & Co., founded in 2016 by a winery whose winemaking tradition dates back to 1886 and which has decades of experience producing vermouth.

According to Vadevi, the competition’s leading award went to Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo as ‘the competition professionals’ favourite drink’, while La Vanguardia noted that this double recognition reaffirms its excellence and personality. More than sixty entries took part in the 2026 competition, with over thirty vermouths and wineries receiving awards following blind tastings held in Reus.

A premium vermouth with a character of its own

Rojo Amargo is the most intense vermouth in the Padró & Co. range. It is made with a double infusion of more than 70 botanicals and aged for 24 months. The first infusion combines high-mountain plants. The vermouth then rests for two years in chestnut barrels before a second blend of bitter botanicals is added to deepen its character. Its tasting profile opens with ripe orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and dried fruit, followed by a velvety, full-bodied palate and a deep, lingering bitterness. We recommend pairing it with blue cheese, smoked fish or dark chocolate with sea salt.

Best Vermouth in Catalonia, backed by an established track record

This award carries even greater weight because Rojo Amargo had already demonstrated its potential at the highest level. In 2020, Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo received the Grand Gold Bacchus for Best Vermouth, the competition’s highest distinction, at the Bacchus International Wine Competition. It was also the only vermouth among the competition’s 25 highest-rated wines that year, scoring more than 92 points out of 100. Specialist publications subsequently presented it as the Best Vermouth in Spain, according to the Spanish Tasters’ Union.

In recent years, Rojo Amargo has continued to earn accolades that have consolidated its reputation in Spain and abroad. Highlights include the 2024 Vinari Gold award for Best Reserva Vermouth, a Silver Winner distinction at the World Vermouth Awards and 92 points in the Peñín Guide to Spirits and Cocktails. Together, these achievements confirm its standing as one of the premium category’s most accomplished vermouths.

Award-winning packaging

The vermouth itself is complemented by another distinctive feature: its packaging. Rojo Amargo’s presentation has also received recognition in specialist competitions, adding to its appeal on the shelf, as a gift and in premium hospitality. Its international design and presentation honours include World’s Best Vermouth Design 2019 at the World Vermouth Awards, alongside other packaging awards. Rojo Amargo combines outstanding sensory quality with a highly distinctive visual identity.

A consistent record at the Vinari Awards

Padró i Família’s record at the Premis Vinari dels Vermuts Catalans adds further significance to this latest honour. These awards are devoted specifically to vermouth made in Catalunya, a Mediterranean region in north-eastern Spain with a strong winemaking heritage. Reus, near our winery in the province of Tarragona, became one of the country’s historic centres of vermouth production and remains closely associated with the drink.

The winery has now appeared consistently among the award winners for more than a decade, with distinctions across the Vermouth Padró & Co. and Vermut Myrrha ranges, as well as awards in several product and wine-tourism categories. This continuity reflects a sustained ability to develop quality, range and brand identity within Catalan vermouth culture. Rojo Amargo’s progression to Best Catalan Vermouth 2026 marks the latest milestone for a mature, strategically important and firmly established product.

Why Rojo Amargo is the Best Vermouth in Catalonia

Being named Best Catalan Vermouth 2026 confirms Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo’s place among the leading premium vermouths. The award is especially meaningful in Catalunya, where vermouth is part of both the region’s winemaking heritage and its everyday social culture. Rojo Amargo brings together a distinctive story and character, a strong record of awards and clear appeal for specialist retailers, cocktail bars, restaurants and gourmet shops. Its highest recognition in Catalunya follows years of building a reputation in Spain and internationally.

Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo is available in a 75 cl bottle and as a 5 cl miniature, ideal for gifting, tasting or collecting.

Discover how we make the Best Vermouth in Catalunya on our guided tour

If you would like to learn more about how we make our vermouths, Casa Vermouth Padró offers a guided vermouth-tourism experience. Located in Bràfim, southern Catalunya, around one hour from Barcelona and 30 minutes from Tarragona and Reus, the visit explores the history of the winery, explains how our vermouths are made and offers a closer look at what makes products such as Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo so distinctive.