Mangrove, the UK’s premium drinks importer and distributer is adding the taste (and culture) of Barcelona to their portfolio as they sign a deal to bring the flavoursome and fun El Bandarra vermouths on board.
Crafted with quality local wines and Mediterranean botanicals El Bandarra was the idea of brothers Alex and Albert Virgili who created the drink at their third generation family-owned winery, just outside Barcelona. The brand encapsulates the essence of Barcelona reflecting its culture, outdoor living and the arts, but mostly the vibrant party scene.
El Bandarra comes in three varieties, Rojo, Blanco and Rosé. It is a light vermouth at 15% vol., which aligns well with the current consumer trend of opting for lower alcohol alternatives.
The youthful and sunny packaging is a nostalgic nod to the past, when Spanish bar tenders used to paint the names of their tapas on the windows of their bars, using different colored letters painted by hand to catch the attention of passers-by and tempt them into the bar.
Nick Gillett MD of Mangrove said:
“We are delighted to be bringing on board this authentic, high quality, family-run brand, which fits perfectly with the Mangrove Collection. Our portfolio continues to grow as we pursue new brands and partnerships to further build our business”
Alex Virgili, founder of El Bandarra said:
“After seeding the brand for the last year in the UK, we are very excited about joining the Mangrove portfolio, and taking El Bandarra to the next stage, and delivering the good times of the light Barcelona aperitif to the wider UK audience. Come and join the party!”
El Bandarra Rojo (red) vermut
Created with the indigenous grape varieties; Xarel·lo and Macabeu – these are then macerated with 50 herb extracts such as clove, cinnamon and bitter orange. After fortifying the wine, it is given a touch of caramel and balanced in Solera oak barrels for two months.
El Bandarra Blanco (white) vermut
White Grenache and Xarel·lo macerated with more than 40 herb extracts with vanilla, wormwood and clove. It is given a sweet touch with must nectar and then it is balanced in a tank for two months.
El Bandarra Rosé vermut
A pale rosé vermouth made of Rosé Grenache and macerated with red fruit and fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary. Rosé is the lightest vermouth, with 30% less sugar.
Serving tips: All three varieties are best served over ice, with no more than a splash of soda for the rojo, and a splash of tonic for blanco and rose. All served with an olive, and garnished with Orange (rojo), lemon (blanco), grapefruit (rosé).
Newly appointed UK brand manager, Jonathan Zammit-Tabona will work closely with the team at Mangrove to progress high-impact activations and partnerships to grow the market for El Bandarra in the UK.