The American Distilling Institute (ADI) has been awarding medals for excellence in craft spirits since 2003 with the aim of promoting and championing craft beverages in order to increase public awareness of the quality of this type of product. All kinds of distilled alcoholic drinks, cocktail bitters, aperitifs and fortified wines (including vermouth) are evaluated to ascertain whether they meet the standards of the ADI’s Certification of Craft Spirits.

We don’t always send all our vermouths to a given competition and this time we entered our Rojo Amargo to represent our Padró & Co. brand. Its verve and vitality allowed it to stand out noticeably among competitors. The judges noted aromas of sherry, raisins and orange peel on the nose and emphasized the quality in the blend of bitter herbs, commenting also on the vermouth’s complex and refined character and crystal-clear dark colour.

Our Rojo Amargo received several accolades from this 2019 ADI tasting: A Double Gold Medal, for the 90+ points awarded, showing exceptional quality. It was also selected as Best of Category and Best of Class in International Craft Blended Aperitif Wines 2019, highlighting also the traditional techniques we use throughout our vermouth-making process, to prepare the wine and the herb infusions and to store the final vermouth coupages. Our Rojo Amargo also received a Bronze Medal for Excellence in Packaging for its original presentation.

One judge described our Rojo Amargo as a special vermouth packed in a way that already tells you it is not going to be like any of the others but also with an exceptional character that has allowed it to position itself in a privileged spot in the world of craft beverages at international level.