November 7, 2008
Fernet-Branca
I love the sauce, and I particularly love the good stuff, and by “good stuff” I mean booze that makes you think, the opposite of the watery swill served in dive bars (Pabst or Stag, for instance). Give me a nicely hopped English Bitter, a peaty Scotch with hints of honey, a Campari and soda, or a chewy red wine with hints of tobacco and balanced oak. But even I, he who loves the bizarre, bitter, and distinctive sauce, am unsure about Fernet-Branca:
When you hold a shot glass of Fernet-Branca to your nose, the first thing that strikes you is the physicality of the smell, which, if such a thing existed, is like black licorice-flavored Listerine. Put it to your lips and tip it back, and the assault on the throat and sinuses is aggressively medicinal. For many so-called “Fergins” uninitiated to the drink, it can be accompanied by a feeling that may either bring a tear to the eye or lunch to the esophagus. As a bitter Italian aperitif of more than 40 herbs and spices, it most often gets compared to Campari and Jägermeister, though by measure of accuracy, it’s equally similar to Robitussin or Pennzoil.
via Coudal
comments
4 Responses to “Fernet-Branca”
Leave a Reply
Four words in, and I already knew who posted this.
Fernet-Branca is an Amaro. A digestif. Something to finish off a rich meal. I find that it is also a good hair of the dog. But only have one…
The Argentinians can’t be wrong. Pour part Branca to 3 parts cola, now have a siesta
Sorry, meant to type “pour 1 part Branca”