Who enjoys Fernet-Branca? We were able to tour their Milano facility and even though Italian was spoken, learned plenty.Fernet-Branca's history is profoundly began in 1845 when Bernardino Branca, a self-taught herbalist, formulated this bitter liqueur. He and his sons marketed it as a cure for many common ailments and eventually started exporting throughout the world. We learned that they started exporting to Argentina in 1905 and this country is easily its top market. They even build an Argentinean distillery in 1925.
The exact composition of botanicals and herbs are secret but we saw a wheel that includes most of the ingredients. These are sourced from all over the globe and include Chinese rhubarb, Aloe ferox (bitter aloe), cinchona, chocolate, quinine, angelica, gentian, galanga, chamomile, linden (Tiliae flos), iris, saffron, zedoary, myrrh, and cinchona. Fernet-Branca has a higher alcohol content, at 39%, and lower sugar content than most other amaro and is aged in large barrique barrels. This helps explain its unique profile.
Apparently, Argentineans and Italians prefer consuming Fernet-Branca over ice with Coke. I would rather someone suggest an alternative cocktail.
