Yzaguirre Selection 1884 Vermouth
Yzaguirre Selection 1884 Vermouth is the top red of the El Morell house — 40 proof (20% ABV), 750mL, made from more than 80 herb varieties macerated for two months and then aged two years in small, old oak barrels until it pours almost black and drinks closer to a liqueur than a mixing vermouth. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 20% (40 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Red reserva vermouth
- Botanicals: More than 80 herb varieties, macerated two months (house formula is secret)
- Aging: Two years in small, old oak barrels
- Origin: El Morell, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain (Bodegas Yzaguirre, founded 1884)
The 1884 Selection: The House at Full Strength
Enrique de Yzaguirre founded his vermouth house in 1884, and the Selection that carries the year is the range's summit: the strongest bottling the house makes, the longest aged, and the only one sold in a 750mL bottle. The Simó family bought the bodega in 1930 and the Salla family took it over in 1970, and the vermouths are still made by traditional methods from the house's secret formulas in El Morell, between Reus and Tarragona. Explore more aperitif wines in our liqueurs collection, or compare the Reserva tiers on the Yzaguirre vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Palate: Wood, herbs and spices in the mouth, per the producer. Importer tasting notes: Almost black in colour, with rich aromas of black Mission figs, candied dates and Marasca cherries. Finish: Long and original, with intense bitter nuances.
How to Enjoy
The producer calls it a very strong aperitif — serve it on the rocks with a twist of citrus peel, or let it stand in for the vermouth in a Manhattan or Boulevardier where its two years of oak and 20% strength will hold their own against the whiskey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Selection 1884 different from the Yzaguirre Reservas? Strength, size and time: 20% ABV in a 750mL bottle with two years in oak, against the Reservas' 18%, 1L and one year.
Is Selection 1884 sweet? It is a red reserva vermouth — intense and velvety with real sweetness, balanced by a long, distinctly bitter finish.
Where is Yzaguirre made? At Bodegas Yzaguirre (Celler Sort del Castell) in El Morell, Tarragona, Catalonia — a house founded in 1884 and still working from its secret house formulas.
The house's flagship, in the smaller bottle — order Yzaguirre Selection 1884 Vermouth online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.