First produced in 1845 by the Branca family in Milan, Italy, Fernet Branca is a type of oily herbal liqueur that consists of 27 herbs and spices. Ingredients are sourced from around the world, making Fernet Branca a truly global concoction. Chamomile from Europe, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, myrrh from Africa and aloe from South Africa are just a few of the parts necessary to make this digestif. The most interesting part is that only the company's president knows the precise formula, as it's passed down from generation to generation. To this day, Niccolo Branca still measures out the exact ingredients for each distillation.
In Italy and parts of South America, this liqueur is a household name, but it's just starting to gather popularity in the United States. The rise in popularity is almost entirely because of a resurgence of interest in vintage cocktails, although some consumers may find its bitter taste particularly soothing when it's on the rocks or served neat.
