Fernet-Branca Menta (75cl, 30%)

A mint-infused Italian bitter liqueur from Fratelli Branca Distillerie in Milan, building on the classic Fernet-Branca recipe with Piedmontese peppermint oil and additional sugar. Over 40 herbs, roots and spices are macerated in alcohol and aged in oak casks for over a year, as with standard Fernet-Branca. The nose opens with concentrated spearmint and peppermint, then pine tar, mountain laurel, damp earth and forest floor, with hints of anise and licorice. The palate is cooling and mentholated, with a chocolaty mid-palate and finely bitter herbs providing structure. The finish is medium-length and soft, resolving into peppermint syrup, licorice and gentle herbal bitterness.