Ferrari (Campari & Fernet Branca)
Two Italian bitter giants meet in equal parts to make a surprisingly balanced, herb-bitter drink.
Ingredients
- Campari30 ml
- Fernet30 ml
Method
- Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes and set it aside to chill.
- Pour the Campari and Fernet Branca into a mixing glass filled with plenty of fresh ice.
- Stir for 20–30 seconds, until the drink is thoroughly chilled and lightly diluted.
- Discard the ice from the chilled glass and strain in the drink.
- Serve without garnish — the Ferrari is about the two spirits, not decoration.
About this drink
The Ferrari is often called ‘the bartender’s handshake’ — a small, biting toast that bartenders pour for one another after closing time. The idea is so simple it almost feels brazen: equal parts Campari and Fernet Branca, stirred cold and served strictly without garnish. The result is a drink where Campari’s sweet red bitterness and Fernet’s icy menthol-herbal bitterness tame one another rather than fight.
Questions and answers
Why is a Ferrari served without garnish?
The drink is entirely about the meeting of Campari’s sweet bitterness and Fernet’s menthol-spiced sharpness. Any garnish would distract from the two spirits’ clean conversation.
Can you replace Fernet with another amaro?
No, not really — Fernet Branca’s menthol- and liquorice-heavy profile is so distinctive that another amaro makes a completely different drink. That exact contrast with Campari is what the recipe is built around.