Fernet Branca digestive bitter liqueur

Originally created back in 1845, this is the star product of the Branca family and its company. Fernet-Branca continues to be made to the same unique formula with over 30 different roots and herbs, including gentian, camomile, saffron and rhubarb.

The production process is complex and involves numerous different types of macerations - indeed the distillery covers an entire city block and its labyrinth of rooms appear filled with maceration vessels, tanks and wooden vats of every shape, size and type.

Once blended, these various different botanical macerations are aged for 12 months in huge Slovenian oak vats of between 15,000 and 20,000 litres each. These vats are beautiful examples of the cooper’s craft and incredibly there are more than 300 of them in the cellars of the distillery.

While my friends in San Francisco will argue Fernet-Branca is best served as a shot, it is traditionally served over plenty of ice a with a slice of lemon or orange. In Argentina they drink Fernet-Branca long over ice mixed with seven parts cola. The drink is so popular there that the Branca family set up a distillery in Buenos Aires in 1935.
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