The Fernet-Branca tour is celebrating the release of Branca: A Spirited Italian Icon, a new book about the historic Italian liquor and features Edoardo Branca himself.
It’s hard to refer to Storied Sips with Edoardo Branca as simply a “book tour”. Though that’s technically what it is, we joined Edoardo for an evening that was a deeply immersive and engaging experience with a liquor that maintains a subtle, global legacy. Hosted at the charming and elegant Analogue in the West Village, Fernet-Branca presented a fifth stop of the tour that had seen San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Perhaps not so well known stateside, Fernet-Branca is a bitters juggernaut abroad, affording a massive following in Argentina and Italy (its hometown). Consumed a myriad of ways- Cola and Fernet-Branca; Fernet-Branca and coffee, custom cocktails such as “A Little Drop of Poison” and “Hanky-Panky”- Fernet-Branca has maintained a personality of its own- not unlike it’s ambassador, Edoardo, who leads the sixth generation of the family.
Founded in 1845, Fratelli Branca Distillerie has found itself facing a resurgence of interest in its unmistakable taste and quality. For Storied Sips and Edoardo alike, its an opportunity to explore the liquor in a new light- illuminated by a sophisticated history. For the NYC leg of the tour, guests joined Edoardo in sampling some rare Fernet-Branca variations from the 20th century- a 1970’s, a 1980’s, and a 2017. Let’s put it this way: Fernet-Branca really does maintain its signature taste through the years; if not even more bitter in the past. That said, being perfectly candid: the 1970’s tasted like an ashtray full of rhubarb and mint and the 1980 was like a sip of honey.
Edoardo is a witty and enthusiastic guy, clearly passionate about his product. Some of the best remarks were curt and simple: A guest asked about how to not enjoy Branca, and Edoardo was strict: “If you’re in America, not with cola.” The reason was because the artificial sugar destroys the composition. These colas have real sugar nearly everywhere else in the world (including, crucially, Argentina; where its consumption of Fernet-Branca is among the highest globally).
On the note of whether Fernet-Branca ever mixes different batches or years of the liquor, Edoardo was clear: “We’re not a vodka.” As a Russian, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
But don’t be fooled- the recipe for Branca has been stunningly consistent; modified only by necessity, such as a new law or trade regulation. Always assembled with a wide-ranging selection of herbs and spices coming from all over the world, Fernet-Branca is finished only in Argentina and Italy. Fernet-Branca’s history is carefully documented by Edoardo’s grandfather Niccolo Branca in the new Branca: A Spirited Italian Icon (Amazon, from $31.00), the new coffee table (or bar) book out now. Richly detailed and cautiously recited; the book is a textural and engaging read featuring gourmet recipes, brand identity items, and more.