Fernet-Branca is a particularly bitter and strong Italian herbal liqueur from the amaro category. Made from a secret recipe with 27 herbs and aged in oak barrels for a year, it contains 35-43% alcohol.
History
Produced in Milan since 1845, Fernet-Branca was created by Bernardino Branca. Originally marketed as a medicinal remedy for cholera, stomach ailments, and nervous disorders, its recipe is also attributed to a mythical Swedish doctor named Fernet.
How it is made
Produced by Fratelli Branca Distillerie according to a secret family recipe, the liqueur is infused with 27 herbs including aloe from South Africa, rhubarb from China, gentian from France, galingale from India, and chamomile from Italy. It matures for one year in oak barrels.
How it is served
Fernet-Branca is consumed as a digestivo neat, with ice, or in cocktails. In Argentina, it is popularly mixed with cola. In the United States, it particularly enjoys popularity in San Francisco, where up to one-third of all imported balsam is consumed.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Фернет-Бранка, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.