Red is their Australian take on an Italian rosso, the classic vermouth anchoring so many go-to cocktails. It’s hand built with obsessive levels of care using 22 distinct botanicals including vanilla, saffron, rose, caramelised blood orange and licorice, infused and blended with moscato and shiraz.

Twelve months in the making, Red is made in a solera style and the result is fruit and spice forward with light aged caramel notes—bold enough to stand up in a Negroni or Americano, with enough complexity and depth to drink on its own.

Founded in early 2020 by chef and bitter drinks guy Dave Verheul on the notion that vermouth and amaro could be brighter, fresher, more singular in flavour. Their name is Saison because they capture favourite seasonal moments and bottle them.

Every aperitif they make starts with a core ingredient picked at its peak. Seasonal notes are added to enhance, not obscure. They take foraged wild herbs; fruit and flowers from small-scale growers; and multiple Australian varieties of the required herb wormwood, drawing the best out of them using techniques learned from decades spent in restaurant kitchens.