Fernet Branca Liqueur
Fernet-Branca is a 39% ABV (78 proof), 750mL Italian amaro from Fratelli Branca in Milan — 27 herbs, spices and roots gathered from four continents, macerated in alcohol and aged twelve months in Slovenian oak in the cellars of San Rocco al Porto, following the secret recipe Bernardino Branca created in 1845. Intensely bitter, bone dry and utterly unmistakable, it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 39% (78 proof) — US bottling
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Fernet-style amaro — intensely bitter
- Botanicals: 27 herbs, spices and roots from four continents (incl. rhubarb, gentian, chamomile, cinchona, myrrh, saffron, zedoary)
- Aging: 12 months in Slovenian oak vats
- Origin: Fratelli Branca, Milan, Italy — recipe created 1845
The Bartender's Handshake, Since 1845
Bernardino Branca mixed the first Fernet-Branca in Milan in 1845, and the recipe has stayed a family secret ever since — in full, it is known only to the president of Fratelli Branca. What the house does say: 27 botanicals from four continents, a year in Slovenian oak, and no shortcuts. The pour that built a cult among bartenders — the "bartender's handshake" shot — is dark, dry and defiantly bitter, closer to medicine's honest ancestor than to a sweet liqueur. Meet its mint sibling Branca Menta, see the house on the Fernet Branca vendor page, or browse more liqueurs and spirits.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Menthol, orange peel and chamomile over bitter bark and spice. Palate: Bone dry and intense — deep herbal bitterness with light fruit underneath and almost no sweetness for an amaro. Finish: Very long and bitter, with a menthol tingle.
How to Enjoy
Traditionally a digestivo: a small pour, neat, after a meal. Bartenders drink it as a shot, stir it into a Hanky Panky, or lengthen it with cola the Argentine way — Fernet con Coca is practically a national serve there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fernet-Branca taste like? Intensely bitter and dry — herbs, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg with almost no sweetness. It is an acquired taste that tends to become a permanent one.
How many botanicals are in Fernet-Branca? Twenty-seven herbs, spices and roots from four continents. The exact recipe is secret; the house names aloe, chamomile, cinchona, myrrh, rhubarb, saffron and zedoary among them.
How is Fernet-Branca aged? After maceration it rests twelve months in Slovenian oak vats in the cellars at San Rocco al Porto before bottling.
For the original 1845 bitter, get Fernet-Branca online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.