A vermouth amaro created in 1870 and named after a Milanese stock broking term. It is made by adding over 40 herbs and spices, including orange peel and...
I cannot find a single cocktail in which I think the Punt e Mes could not be better replaced by almost any other vermouth that I have tried. Just does not do it for me.
I understand your starting point very well, after my first experience of a Punt e Mes totally mugged a Negroni.
I may have you found one, though: The Slope.
With Bulleit Rye(45% abv) and Carpano (Vermouth.Aged), I got 'rye+bitters'.
With Rittenhouse (50% abv) and Cocchi Dopo Teatro (Vermouth.Amaro.Medium): 'very much better, richer, but still no apricot'.
With Rittenhouse and Punt e Mes (Vermouth.Amaro.Robust): definitely best yet. Intense, but softens and opens on standing (but *very* boozy!)
Made a Negroni with Punt e Mes, Galliano Aperitivo and Botanist and wasn't sold. Then read the text about pairing it with bitter chocolate and added a dash of house coffee-chocolate-olive bitters. Became a stellar drink.
Interesting, I was under the impression that Punt e Mes was a “point” of sweet Italian vermouth with a half “point” of bitter Italian Amaro.
Isn’t that what it says at the borrow of the label?
“Un punto di vermouth e mezzo do amaro.”