NV González Byass Vermouth La Copa

Full bottle 1,272 g. The tech sheet says, 'La Copa brand was one of the first to be registered by Gonzalez Byass dating back to 1884. The production follows the orig!nal recipe from 1906 and the packaging is a replica of the original label. La Copa is produced from fine Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez soleras which are more than 8 years old. A meticulous selection of botanicals is carried out, with the aim of achieving the perfect bitter-sweet, aromatic balance. The principal botanicals used are wormwood, savory, clove and cinnamon. The proportion of botanicals used is a closely guarded secret, kept under lock and key in the winery.' RS 141 g/l. It smells like hot Christmas mince pies and warm cola. And this has forever ruined me for punsch, gluhwein or mulled wine. It's sweet, of course, but it's soul-warming and many layered. Tea and damson jam, star anise and orange-liqueur-steeped raisins, Jamaican gingerbread and clove, clove, clove. Very, very spicy. It's wonderful. You could chill this right down and serve it over ice with vanilla ice cream or crema Catalana. You could warm it very, very gently with a slice of orange and serve it in a tiny teacup alongside chocolate ganache. Or you could add a splash of soda and serve it with Peking duck. (TC)