Originally from the Italian town of Monza, famous for its Formula One race course, Andrea Frigerio is a man who seems unable to keep still. After moving to London in his late 20s and developing a penchant for the city’s classic ‘London Dry’ styles of gin, Andrea set about on a journey to craft his own small-batch gins, not only leaning into his birthplace for inspiration regarding individual ingredients and historic recipes, but going one step further and partnering with historic Piemontese distillery Bordiga in Cuneo. And though his passions were ignited by a love for gin, Andrea eventually figured that he couldn’t consider himself a truly Italian spirit producer without making a little vermouth. Thankfully Bordiga’s location, in the picturesque Maira Valley of northwestern Piemonte, allowed Andrea access to a veritable smorgasbord of native alpine botanicals, wild herbs, and other aromatic components, many of which are hand-foraged. The moniker ‘Family of Hounds’ honors Andrea’s beloved pack of rescued greyhounds in case you were wondering!
Andrea’s Extra Dry Vermouth provides a super classic Piemontese iteration of this bartop staple, based on the local Gavi wine and leaning into a blend of 57 botanical distillates and infusions lending weight, texture and complexity. Drawing heavily on herbs, roots, and flowers hand-gathered in the mountains above Cuneo – among them marjoram, wild fennel, and gentian – the array of botanical distillates and infusions are first crafted separately in triple-distilled grain alcohol, then blended with a mixture of organically farmed Cortese as well as a small amount of cane sugar. The resulting elixir deftly balances sweet, savory and aromatic components, delivering a sharply briny ocean breeze flecked with orange peel, elderflower, sage, and mint. Not a big dry Martini fan? A quick Google search should render some easy recipes for other dry vermouth classics like El Presidente, French Kiss, Mr Hoy, Nurse, Django Rheinhardt, and the 50/50 Martini, though don’t hesitate to keep it simple on the rocks and with a twist for an herbaceous, savory, low-ABV aperitivo. Only 1,320 bottles produced.