Fernet Leopold Highland Amaro. I recently got back from a trip through the American southwest desert enroute to Denver and OF COURSE I had to check out the local booze. I had heard about Leopold Bros and seen a few of their bottles in stores but never tried it, and after seeing their spirits all over the backbar of literally every cocktail lounge I went to, I knew I had to pay the distillery a visit.

And in my new conscious attempt to make peace with fernets (a subtype of amaro, which is essentially a bittersweet botanical-focused liqueur), I chose this bottle to take home with me out of the 15+ spirits & liqueurs I tried (so much thanks to the amazingly knowledgeable and patient staff who helped me sample almost everything they make!) Onto the spirit: I’m still coming to terms with fernets and have not yet jumped on that minty-bitter train, so it was super surprising how much I really liked the Leopold Bros Fernet!

Let me just say that ALL of their spirits were amazing and unique in their own way (their dedication and commitment to the craft commends the utmost respect!), but this was the one that really struck a chord with me. Compared with Fernet Branca, I found this much more pleasantly drinkable (this one did not assault my tastebuds like Fernet Branca did) and just SO different. It’s bitter and minty, but still has a warm spiced flavor profile that I find sort of reminiscent of orange-infused chocolate. This fernet uses several types of mint along with cocoa, molasses, sarsaparilla, vanilla, and 20+ other botanicals and is aged for half a year in chardonnay wine barrels.

Believe it or not, this is something I can actually see myself drinking straight on the rocks as a post-dinner digestif. If you’re like me and have been shying away from Fernet Branca, don’t discount the entire category and join me on the quest to conquer fernet! My other favorites from the distillery were the aperitivo, summer gin, and cranberry, orange, and Montmorency cherry liqueurs.