Fernet-Branca Liqueur, Italy

First things first, since it’s the question everyone asks: Fernet-Branca is bottled at 39% ABV (78 proof) — a full-strength spirit, not a low-proof cordial. This is the original Italian fernet, made by Fratelli Branca in Milan to the same closely guarded recipe since 1845.

Behind that famous bitterness is a secret blend of 27 herbs, roots, and botanicals sourced from around the world — among them myrrh, chamomile, gentian, rhubarb, and a signature hit of saffron — macerated and then rested in oak. The result is intensely aromatic and bracingly bitter, with cooling notes of mint and menthol and a long, dry finish. It’s an acquired taste, and the people who love it really love it.

Traditionally, Fernet-Branca is enjoyed as a digestivo — sipped neat or over ice after a big meal to settle the stomach. It’s also a bartender’s badge of honor, the so-called industry handshake, and the backbone of the Fernet con Coca that’s practically the national drink of Argentina. Pour it neat and ice-cold, lengthen it with cola or ginger ale, or stir it into a cocktail.