Fanciulli
A Manhattan with Fernet-Branca standing in for the bitters.
The Method
How to make it
- 01
Stir all three ingredients over ice for twenty-five seconds.
- 02
Strain over one large cube in a rocks glass, or up into a coupe.
- 03
Express an orange twist over the surface and drop it in.
Bartender's Tip
Half an ounce is the ceiling. Push Fernet past that and it stops seasoning the whiskey and starts replacing it.
A Little History
Fanciulli means 'young boy' in Italian, and the drink is a pre-Prohibition-style Manhattan variation revived by American bartenders in the 2000s alongside the wider Fernet boom. It is the simplest possible proof that amaro can be used as a bittering agent rather than a modifier.
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The Bitter Brief
One short Friday dispatch: a bottle worth buying, a cocktail worth mixing, and a little Italian history.
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