Negroni Actually
Slightly softer and more orange-aromatic than a classic Negroni.
Ingredients
30ml Vermouth Actually
25ml Gin (preferably Devil’s Dyke Gin)
20ml Campari
5ml Cointreau or similar orange-based liqueur
1 dash Orange Bitters
Stir over ice and strain over a large ice cube.
Expressed orange peel (optional burnt edge)
The Vermouth Actually
The first cocktail Alex ever created with Vermouth Actually, this long, refreshing serve is designed for year-round drinking – bright, easy and effortlessly drinkable.
Ingredients
- 50ml Gin (preferably Devils Dyke Gin)
- 15ml Vermouth Actually
- 15ml Elderflower Cordial
- 100ml Ginger Ale
- Soda water to top
Method
Build over ice: add gin, vermouth, and cordial, stir, then top with ginger ale and soda.
Garnish
Lime wedge & mint sprig (optional slice of fresh ginger)
Hove to Kyoto (the Sussex Silk Road)
Inspired by Alex’s long-held fascinations with Kyoto, Japan – first discovered rough his many years curating Christmas playlists for friends & family (Christmas in Kyoto by Michale Franks) – this cocktail pairs sake with Vermouth Actually to help manifest this journey YET to be taken. Bright yuzu-lemon, layered herbs and gentle spice give us a ‘Sussex Silk Road’ of aromatics, creating a fresh, punchy and moreish serve.
Ingredients
- 40ml Vermouth Actually
- 30ml Sake
- 10ml Yuzu or Lemon Juice
- 5ml Sugar Syrup
Method
Shake lightly and fine strain into a coupe or martini glass.
Garnish
Lemon twist
The Volks
A lighter, fruitier take on the Ferroviario (railwayman) Cocktail, a classic Argentinian cocktail introduced to Alex by a bar tender called Majo while he was in Santa Ana, Misiones Province, Argentina.
Ingredients
- 50ml Vermouth Actually
- 15ml Fernet
- 10ml Grapefruit Cordial
- 5ml Sugar Syrup
- Top with 25ml soda water, or more to taste
Method
Build over ice in a heavy tumbler glass and gently stir. Can be sweetened to preference with additional sugar syrup.
Garnish
Grapefruit peel and rosemary sprig
The Golden Hour
Alex had once planned to launch Brighton’s first Tequila project… this cocktail is a nod to a path not taken, and a demonstration of how well tequila pairs with Vermouth Actually! Joyfully simple yet full of character, it’s smooth, warming and quietly potent, with a quirky but delicious balance.
Ingredients
- 35ml Silver Tequila
- 35ml Vermouth Actually
- 5ml Sugar Syrup
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- Optional: top with a 25ml splash of soda water (or more to your taste)
Stir over ice and strain into a coupe glass.
Orange peel
The Hove Martini
A wet (and optionally dirty) vermouth-forward martini, still packing the punch you’re looking for, but really leaning into the aromatics of Vermouth Actually.
Ingredients
- 40ml Gin (preferably Devil’s Dyke Gin)
- 30ml Vermouth Actually
- Optional: 5ml Olive Brine OR 1 dash Orange Bitters
Method
Stir over ice and strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish
Lemon twist and an olive or two!
