Fernet Branca Vintage Bottling Italian Bitter 70 cl 42%

Somewhere in Milan, not far from the Duomo, a recipe has been locked in a safe since 1845 - accessible to exactly one person in the entire company. Five generations of the Branca family later, that hasn't changed.

Expert Description

Fernet-Branca is an Italian Bitter built on more than 27 herbs, roots and spices, bottled at 42%.

This is not the bottle sitting in your local wine shop's fridge today. It's an older German-market bottling, distributed by Fratelli Branca GmbH in Weinstadt-Großheppach, with Weinbrennerei Jacobi KG named on the label - a period when Fernet-Branca for the German market was bottled at 42% and sold under a label design that has long since been discontinued. The details give it away: the oval "Stammhaus gegr. 1845" seal with the eagle on the globe, the lengthy authenticity text warning against imitations, and the barcode printed at the bottom of the back label.

The liquid inside hasn't changed with the label, though. Rhubarb from China, gentian from France, galangal from India or Sri Lanka, chamomile from Europe and Argentina, myrrh and saffron - ingredients sourced across continents, macerated and distilled, then rested in oak casks for roughly a year before the flavour is allowed to settle.

Taste

The nose is heavy and herbal, with a hint of mint and citrus before the bitterness properly announces itself. On the palate it's dark and complex - myrrh and saffron bring spiced depth, while rhubarb and gentian pull a sharp, clean bitterness through the whole sip. The finish is long, faintly menthol, and dry, with a sweetness that never quite takes over.

Specifications

Name: Fernet-Branca
Producer/Distillery: Fratelli Branca Distillerie S.p.A.
Bottler: Fratelli Branca GmbH, Weinstadt-Großheppach
Region/Country: Milan, Italy
Type: Italian Bitter
Main Ingredients/Flavourings: myrrh, saffron, chamomile, rhubarb, gentian, galangal
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL
Production Method: Maceration and distillation, aged in oak casks for approximately one year
Edition: Older German bottling, discontinued label design
EAN: 4017500200508

Flavour Profile

Bitter · Herbal · Spiced · Dark and complex

Investment Potential

Medium. This is a discontinued German bottling with an abandoned label design, no longer in production, and it's traded today mostly among retro-spirits collectors.

Did You Know?

Fernet-Branca's recipe exists in exactly one copy, kept in a safe in Milan, and by tradition only the company's chairman is ever allowed to know it in full.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fernet-Branca

How bitter does this Fernet-Branca taste?

It's markedly bitter, with rhubarb and gentian as the most prominent bittering agents. Myrrh and saffron add a spiced depth, though, which keeps the taste from feeling one-dimensionally sharp.

Is this bottling smoky?

No, Fernet-Branca isn't smoked. Its character comes from herbs, roots and spices rather than any fire or smoke treatment.

What's the best way to serve Fernet-Branca?

Classically it's served cold and neat as a digestif after a meal. It also works in cocktails, in a small dash in an Espresso Martini or a twist on an Old Fashioned, where the bitterness adds extra depth to the drink.

What makes this bottle different from a newer Fernet-Branca?

It's an older German bottling from Fratelli Branca GmbH in Weinstadt-Großheppach, bottled at 42% with a label design no longer in production. Newer bottles on the Danish market are typically bottled at a lower ABV.

Why does the label mention Weinbrennerei Jacobi KG?

Jacobi KG was the German company handling distribution of Fernet-Branca in Germany at the time this bottle was produced under Fratelli Branca GmbH in Weinstadt-Großheppach.