Fernet Cocktails

18 drinks · Updated October 2026

Fernet is a style of Italian amaro: an intensely bitter herbal liqueur, often with mint and menthol notes. Fernet-Branca, made in Milan since 1845, is the best-known example and the benchmark for the style. Because fernet is so assertive, cocktail recipes usually use it in small amounts alongside sugar or other sweet ingredients. The Hanky-Panky combines gin, sweet vermouth and fernet and was created by Ada Coleman at the Savoy's American Bar. The Toronto pairs rye whiskey with sugar and fernet.

• Fernandito

  Classic (Argentina)

  1.75 oz Fernet-Branca Top Cola

• Hanky-Panky

  Ada Coleman, American Bar, Savoy Hotel, London (early 1900s)

  2 oz Gin 1 oz Sweet vermouth 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca

• Toronto

  Classic (1920s)

  2 oz Rye whiskey 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca 1 tsp Demerara syrup

• Jamie Boudreau's Toronto

  Jamie Boudreau, Canon, Seattle (2023)

  1 oz Rye whiskey 1 oz High-proof bourbon 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca 0.25 oz Three-sugar syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• Sugar Monk's Hanky Panky

  Ektoras Binikos, Sugar Monk, New York (2023)

  1.5 oz Unaged genever 1.5 oz Sweet vermouth 1 barspoon Fernet-Branca 3 dashes Chile-infused orange bitters

• Away Colors

  Lion Lion, New York

  2 oz Añejo rum 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca 0.5 oz Banana liqueur

• Fernetea

  Fet-Fisk, Pittsburgh (2024)

  2.5 oz Peppermint tea, chilled 1 oz Fernet-Branca 0.75 oz Demerara syrup (1:1) Oat milk, to top

• Enzo

  Charlie Wacholz, Chicago (2025)

  0.75 oz Fernet-Branca 0.75 oz Campari 1.5 oz Sweet vermouth Soda water, to top

• Benton Park Swizzle

  Ted Kilgore, Taste by Niche, St. Louis

  2 oz Gold rum 1 oz Simple syrup 0.75 oz Lime juice 8 to 10 Fresh mint leaves 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca (to float)

• The Long Shot

  Andrea Leibrandt, Mister Mao, New Orleans

  1.5 oz Banana-infused bourbon 0.75 oz Banana liqueur 0.5 oz Orgeat 0.5 oz Lemon juice 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca

• Hocus Pocus

  Forty Four, New York (2010)

  2 oz Gin 0.75 oz Sweet vermouth 0.75 oz Dry curaçao 1 tsp Fernet-Branca

• Stazione

  Alex Frezza, Naples

  1 oz Strega 1 oz Fernet-Branca 1 oz Sweet vermouth

• Mane of Needles

  Jason O'Bryan, URBN, San Diego (2012)

  1.5 oz Rye whiskey 0.5 oz Sweet vermouth 2 tsp Campari 1 tsp Fernet-Branca 1 tsp Bénédictine 1 dash Orange bitters

• Autumn Negroni

  Toby Maloney, The Violet Hour, Chicago (2012)

  2 oz Gin 0.75 oz Sweet vermouth 0.5 oz Cynar 0.5 oz Campari 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca 1 dash Orange bitters 1 dash Peychaud's bitters

• Archibald's Last Memory

  Flatiron Lounge, New York (c. 2010)

  2 oz Rye whiskey 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca 0.5 oz Bénédictine 1 tsp Maraschino liqueur

• Midnight Stinger

  Sam Ross, Attaboy, New York

  1 oz Bourbon 1 oz Fernet-Branca 0.75 oz Lemon juice 0.5 oz Rich simple syrup

• Newark

  Jim Meehan and John Deragon, PDT, New York (2007)

  2 oz Apple brandy (bonded) 1 oz Sweet vermouth 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca 0.25 oz Maraschino liqueur

• Macunaíma

  Arnaldo Hirai, Boca de Ouro, São Paulo (2014)

  2 oz Cachaça 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca 0.75 oz Lime juice 0.75 oz Simple syrup