Fernando

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (73 ratings)
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    Fernando

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Fernando image

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Ingredients:
1 1⁄6 oz Strucchi Bianco Vermouth
3⁄4 oz Fernet Branca liqueur
1⁄2 oz Galliano L'Autentico liqueur
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.
  2. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  3. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 6/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile
Cocktail of the day:

6th January 2025 is The anniversary of Fernand Petiot's death

Review:

An unusual, vermouth-based herbal cocktail - very fresh and aromatic.

View readers' comments

Variant:

The Fernando (the signature cocktail at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts)

History:

I came across this cocktail in 2010 at Employees Only in New York City, its birthplace. The recipe I took away from that night called for 30ml (1oz) dry vermouth, 30ml (1oz) rosso/sweet vermouth, 7.5 Galliano, and a mere 5ml (1/6oz) fernet, but I noted: "Originally based only on bianco vermouth with no dry vermouth." I blame their hospitality as it appears their actual recipe for a Fernando is more in keeping with the proportions above.

For all those who liked my previous incarnation, the recipe is 30ml (1oz) dry vermouth, 30ml (1oz) sweet/rosso vermouth, 7.5ml (¼oz) Galliano, and 5ml (1/6oz) fernet.

Nutrition:

One serving of Fernando contains 152 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.2 standard drinks
  • 22.5% alc./vol. (22.5° proof)
  • 16.3 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 of 11 comments for Fernando.
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Dr Drink’s Avatar Dr Drink
7th April at 20:47
I found the fernet a bit overpowering, cutting back to equal parts Galliano and fernet was much more balanced to my palate
1
reply
Stephan Gröhn’s Avatar Stephan Gröhn
11th October 2024 at 17:12
The former incarnation isn’t bad at all but I prefer the latest recipe because of its minty freshness.
1
reply
Stephan Gröhn’s Avatar Stephan Gröhn
11th October 2024 at 17:02
I wonder where the mint tones come from here. Guess Galliano because Fernet Branca needs Branca Menta for that…
2
reply
Peter McCarthy’s Avatar Peter McCarthy
25th December 2024 at 03:38
Fernet Branca definitely has mint notes.
3
reply
John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
19th August 2024 at 13:07
Very minty and secondarily herbal. Certainly refreshing. Not sure I love it though.
1
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John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
19th August 2024 at 13:16
Second attempt, and based on connects here went with Cocchi Americano, 15 fernet and 15 Strega. More to my taste.
1
reply
Ian Fenton’s Avatar Ian Fenton
10th May 2024 at 10:45
Fernando is ugly and thick, but not completely without charm.

Definitely not dry/sour - I’d say it was getting close to my tolerance for sweetness for a drink served straight up (even though I would drink any of the ingredients by themselves on the rocks on the right day).

Might be better with a dry vermouth instead of bianco to knock the sugar back by 4g or so, but I didn’t really like it enough to experiment.
1
reply
Jacques Gaudin ’s Avatar Jacques Gaudin
27th January 2024 at 23:00
Delightful drink, tempted to use a liquorice stick segment as a garnish.
3
reply
G. M. Genovese’s Avatar G. M. Genovese
11th January 2024 at 20:20
Branca Menta is too overpowering in this, but I love the drink nonetheless... I did use Cocchi Americano, so that might have tamed the Branca a bit, who knows. (11 Jan 2024, 3:20p)
1
reply
John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
19th August 2024 at 13:05
Cocchi Americano sounds like potentially a good sub here.
0
reply
Morten Carlsbaek’s Avatar Morten Carlsbaek
6th January 2024 at 16:38
Fresh, intense, complex but harmonious cocktail though no big fan of Fernet-Branca. I used Liquore Strega instead of Galliano L'Autentico liqueur, they are so similar. Next time, I might use a little less Fernet-Branca, possible 15 ml.
3
reply
Chris VanDoren’s Avatar Chris VanDoren
2nd December 2023 at 03:18
Its fascinating how 3/4oz of Fernet quietly disappears in this cocktail. I enjoyed it, but am mostly fascinated by how this combination works.
2
reply
Darian Sanatpour’s Avatar Darian Sanatpour
21st May 2023 at 20:47
Great with Luxardo Fernet.
2
reply
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