Fernet-Branca is one of the world’s most iconic Italian bitters — a brand of fernet, a style of amaro originating in Milan, created by Bernardino Branca in 1845 and crafted ever since from a secret formula of 27 herbs, roots, and spices that remains one of a kind. Known for its acquired thick bitter taste, Fernet-Branca is a fixture in Italian homes as the drink to cure all sickness — drunk as a digestive after meals, served at room temperature or over ice, and beloved by those who know that the best things in life require a little patience.
Aroma
Myrrh leads the nose with unexpected softness — a tannic, balsamic bitterness beneath, and the quiet promise of the 27 aromatic herbs to come.
Palate
The depth of flavour from the botanical herbs and spices is immediately apparent — tannic and balsamic bitter at first, before the bitterness gives way to more delicate notes of plants and flowers from the 27 aromatic herbs. Every single herb represents a distinct universe, experience, and discovery. A special journey through one of the great secret formulas of the spirits world.
Serving Suggestions
Served at room temperature as a digestive after meals, or over ice as an aperitivo. Also a classic component of the Toronto cocktail — Fernet-Branca, rye whisky, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters — and a bartender’s favourite the world over.
The Fernet-Branca recipe is a special journey through 27 herbs, roots, and spices — a secret and one-of-a-kind formula that has remained unchanged since Bernardino Branca created it in Milan in 1845. Each herb represents a distinct universe of flavour, experience, and discovery, and together they create the tannic, balsamic, and deeply complex bitter character that has made Fernet-Branca one of the best-known and most respected Italian bitters in the world.
Producer History
Fernet-Branca was created in Milan in 1845 by Bernardino Branca — a fernet, which is a style of amaro, and one of the defining expressions of the Italian bitter tradition. For nearly 180 years, the Branca family has guarded the secret formula of 27 herbs, roots, and spices that gives Fernet-Branca its unmistakable character. It is commonly found in all Italian homes as the drink to cure all sickness, and is one of the best-known Italian bitters in the world — a testament to the enduring power of a formula that has never needed to change.
