Barbadillo's Atamán Vermut first originated in the 1940s and was made using a Manzanilla sherry base, infused with a herbs and botanicals such as Quassia tree bark (a kind of cinnamon), rosemary, Seville bitter orange peel and elderberries.

It proved hugely popular but a later decline in interest forced Barbadillo to close their doors on the project in the 1960s, leaving a significant amount of vermouth ageing undisturbed in old oak butts and demi johns in their cellars.

The closure notwithstanding, Barbadillo's bodega workers would quietly tend to the well-being of these stocks and as a result the company now has at its disposal an amazing 50-year-old vermouth still in excellent condition.

Through analysis of the original Vermut, as well as consulting with retired workers, Barbadillo formulated a new recipe to approximate the same flavour profile as the original. For increased authenticity, a small portion of the incredibly concentrated, 50-year-old original vermouth is also blended into the mix, giving it depth and character.

Only small batches of 1500 bottles are released at a time, with the original logo and brand on the bottle. The name, however, remains something a mystery; it means Cossack chief but what prompted Manuel Barbadillo to use this is unknown.

Aromatic & herbal, bold & bittersweet, complex botanicals & spices; orange & savouriness. A dry, long, complex finish.

In 2005 they made the leap from grower to grower-producer; building a winery in the heart of their estate and began making their own wines, overseeing every step from vine to bottle, with the ambition of producing wines that truly express the terroir of the region.