Fernet-Branca

Rating: 15/23 N: Mint that's really closer to straight menthol mixes with some rich, mellow, herbal flavor and a balanced sweetness that has a faint suggestion of caramel, kind of like cola, but without that oppressive Jagermeister metallic quality. P: It's less immediately minty than I'd expected, with bitter, herbal richness leading over a light layer of cola. Then, mint and spiciness come out. As it progresses, I get bittersweet chocolate and medium roast coffee. At points, I get hints of a rich, bitter (but not tart), juicy, dark fruitiness. It's a much more balanced profile than I'd recalled. I gradually start to notice a bit of spices (largely cinnamon). The complexity is decent, but for better or for worse the individual flavors generally don't stand out too much, aside from the mint and maybe one element of the bitter profile. F: The mint lasts for ages and it overlays a bitterness that increasingly reminds me of dark roast coffee with some chocolate. It's a pretty uninteresting finish, but it's reasonably tasty. I'm surprised by how much more I like this now than I did before. It's not amazing, but aside from perhaps being a bit too minty, the profile is good. I think that the flavors are a bit too subtle as well to the point that they get muddled, but I can sit here and enjoy contemplating this just fine. I haven't actually tried this in a cocktail (all I had was a sample) and I do worry that it may not be that effective as a mixer because - aside from its mintiness, which would be a problem in many cocktails - it is more subtle and subdued than, say, Campari is. It seems like some sort of bitters might be better in many cocktails. Putting this all together, I'm looking at a 14 to 17 based just on sipping. I think right now I'm going with 15, but a 16 would be possible in the future for sure.

Appearance: Transparent black-brown. Like a cup of weak drip-filter coffee. Against a strong light or a white background it's more like dark sienna. Aroma: Menthol, peppermint, incense resin (frankincense, myrrh), pyrethrum daisies, licorice root. Flavour and Texture: On arrival, at the front of the mouth, Fernet is quite sweet with a deep earthy herbal quality. However almost instantly an intense mentholated mint note develops which, if you are not used to this liqueur, will seem disarmingly like mint-flavoured toothpaste. This is followed by a bitter tang that betrays the presence of gentian, quinine and bitter aloes. The palate is very long and singular, but after a while it gains an earthy sweetness that is like bittersweet sarsparilla. The texture is full but not syrupy. Fernet is an acquired taste. Boy, is it an acquired taste. On first acquaintance you *will* compare it to cough drops, toothpaste, mouthwash - in fact anything that is overwhelmingly minty and herbal. It's not unlike spearmint flavoured Fisherman's Friend cough lozenges with added bitterness. That probably sounds awful and if you do taste this and recoil in horror don't worry because you are in good company - most people dislike it the first time. However this genuinely is an acquired taste. The classic way to take Fernet-Branca is neat as a digestif. It can also be used as the bitter note in cocktails but a little goes a very long way and it is nowhere near as adaptable as other amari because it always takes charge. In Argentina they drink Fernet & Coke which is pleasant, and if you also add some orange bitters and a slice of orange it becomes vaguely like chinotto. Personally my preferred way to take it is as a very small amount added to highly sweetened Greek coffee. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)

The Bottle: I get the feeling that this hasn't changed much since its inception in 1845. It screams "classic Italian bitters". I have no idea what any of it says, but it looks good in the process. In the Glass: Dark brown with the slightest halo of green around the edge of the liquid as you swirl it in the glass. On the Nose: Bitter mint. Now, I know that sounds off-putting, but go with me on this one. It has a strong "mint of the earth" thing going for it. It isn't cloying like peppermint schnapps, nor is it as strikingly medicinal as something like Gammel Dansk. It strikes a nice balance. Taste: I mean, it's a bitters. Chances are that you aren't drinking this on it's own. But, if you did, it would taste something like really artisanal toothpaste with a bitter kick in the teeth. If the Romans made toothpaste, this is what it would be like. Fernet-Branca shines best in measured proportions in a number of cocktails, in my opinion. I know that a pour of it often shows up as a "bartender's handshake", but it takes an experienced palate to get the most out of this on its own. If you are getting started with this, I'd suggest the simple Coke & Fernet or a Toronto to a feel for how it can work best.

This tastes like a cough drop. The menthol is unbelievably forward. The finish is grossly bitter. There's a bit of sweetness and unplaceable herbal character here, but it is mostly menthol. There is just enough herbal character to make it taste like cough drops rather than breath mints, but that is mostly a disappointment. The herbal notes make it taste like Jagermeister mixed with creme de menthe, but in no way good. At least there are no weird alcohol flavors here ruining things. A bit of licorice, a tad of salt, and a hint of wood hang out in the herbal elements. The depth eventually becomes clear and the finish avoids objectively bad flavors, but it still tastes like cough drops. There is some interesting smoke and a bit of sweetness, but the flavor is mostly menthol so this is a really hard drink too palate.

Nose - menthol, licorice, black cherry, chamomile, cardamom, floral and herbal spice I don’t have the vocabulary to identify, low ethanol burn. Taste - menthol, spearmint, cardamom, chocolate, chamomile, licorice, more of those elusive herbal and floral notes, mild alcohol bite, finishing long, minty, and naturally sweet. This is very interesting. The mouthwash sensation is definitely present. Not sure I would reach for it again, but the sipping experience was pleasant.

Nose: Spearmint forward with a bit of ethanol and dark chocolate. Taste: A hint of vanilla and dark chocolate opens up into heavy spearmint and herbal bitterness similar to bitter orange and grass. Slurping in some air opens up some cinnamon and cloves, and transforms the dark chocolate into milk chocolate. Wonderfully complex, and it performs very well in a few key cocktails including whiskey. Wonderfully complex and interesting. Haven't had anything like it yet.