Fernet Branca, 70cl, ABV 39%

Product Information

Needless to say, Fernet’s herby freshness was a pleasant surprise and lacked the negative associations with the unpleasant consequences of sweet drinks,” she says. The drink is an Italian spirit through-and-through, attuned to a distinctively bitter palette which is shaped by liquorice, radicchio, capers and Campari. One of the reasons Fernet is beloved by those who work in food is that its supposed digestive properties make it a kinder drink on the gut than harder spirits or beer. But its invention has long been attributed to Dr Fernet Svedse - a fictional Swedish medic - to try and legitimise the marketing campaign which persuaded people of Fernet's curative properties. The flavour is overwhelmingly bitter, medicinal and herbal, dark and oily - its popularity endures and its especially popular in Argentina where 75% of the entire production is consumed.

Although the bar displays an array of spirit and wine bottles, Chico sells on average 70 glasses of Fernet a day. It's made from 27 different herbs, the exact recipe is known only to the owner Nicolo Branca who is said to personally measure out the ingredients and aromatics during the production process in the distillery in Milan and it is then aged in oak for a year. Nightjar - famed for its attention to cocktail garnishes - has experimented by adding Fernet Branca to chocolate truffles, Victoria sponges, and even in a mackerel marinade.And since the drink is traditionally mixed with Coca-Cola in an ice-filled glass, it also contributes to making Argentina one of the planet’s highest Coke consumers. Although most of those medicinal claims have now been largely debunked, Fernet is still a delicious serve that’s rightfully earned its place in the hearts and minds of hospitality workers.

It’s become so synonymous with kitchens that its reputation as a chef’s treat has entered the wider realm of popular culture. Some say that it accounts for 75 per cent of the world's saffron consumption, controlling the global market.He’s still baffled by the fact that Argentinians pair the beverage with food at dinners and social events. I love how it’s not heavy on your palate, either – you almost feel like it cleans your mouth and makes your stomach ready for another meal. Fernet and Coke is so popular in Argentina that the country now hosts the only Fernet production facility outside Milan – the Fratelli Branca distillery on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.