Fernandito
Argentina's ultimate highball: bitter fernet meets sweet cola over plenty of ice.
Ingredients
- Fernet50 ml
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
- Colatop up
Method
- Fill a highball glass right to the top with ice cubes.
- Pour the fernet over the ice.
- Top up with cola, pouring slowly to keep the fizz.
- Stir gently with a bar spoon, so the drink does not lose its sparkle.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, if you like, and serve at once.
About this drink
Fernandito is the affectionate Argentine nickname for fernet and cola, a drink born at parties and football matches rather than in smart bars. The pairing of bitter, herbal fernet and sweet cola took hold in Córdoba and spread across the country, and today Argentina drinks more Fernet-Branca than anywhere else in the world. It is poured generously at barbecues and gatherings, where the mood matters more than precision.
Questions and answers
What is a Fernandito?
Fernet and cola in a tall glass: Fernandito is the Argentine nickname for the drink also known as Fernet con Cola. The lime wedge is optional, but gives a fresh counterpoint to the fernet's spicy bitterness.
Does it matter which cola you choose?
Sugar-free cola works fine and makes the drink a little less sweet, while the fernet's menthol and liquorice notes still come through clearly.
