Ingredients
The classic fernet architecture — myrrh, saffron, gentian, aloe and mint — assembled in a slightly softer, rounder register than the Milanese standard-bearer.
- ✦Myrrh
- ✦Saffron
- ✦Gentian root
- ✦Aloe
- ✦Mint
- ✦Rhubarb root
- ✦Chamomile
History of the Brand
The Vittone family began distilling in Piedmont in 1842, in the same decade that fernet emerged as a named category in northern Italy.
Fernet started as a pharmacy preparation, sold for digestion and fever, and Vittone's version carried that medicinal identity well into the twentieth century.
The distillery stayed small and regional while Milanese rivals went global, which is why the bottle is still relatively unknown outside Piedmont.
Bartenders rediscovered it as an alternative fernet for drinkers who find the category's most famous bottle too aggressive.
Tasting Characteristics
Mint, medicinal herbs, saffron, faint liquorice.
Cooling menthol, bitter myrrh and gentian, a touch more sweetness than expected.
Long, minty, cleanly bitter.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Ice cold in a shot glass after a heavy meal.
- 02With cola for a Piedmontese take on the Fernet and Coke.
- 03In a Hanky Panky.
- 04In a Toronto with rye.
- 05As a rinse for a bitter, minty edge.
Where to Get It
Common across Piedmont; limited but growing distribution abroad through Italian importers.
Specialty bottle shops
Ask for it alongside the better-known fernets, $28–$38.
Online spirits retailers
Search 'Fernet Vittone'.
Piedmont
Sold in bars and shops around Turin and Chivasso.
Affiliate buying links coming soon.
Fernet-Vittone FAQ
What is Fernet-Vittone?
+
A Piedmontese fernet made by Distilleria Vittone in Chivasso since 1842, built on myrrh, saffron, gentian and mint at 40% ABV.
How does it compare to Fernet-Branca?
+
Same family and similar botanicals, but Vittone is rounder and slightly less aggressive on the menthol.
How do you drink fernet?
+
Ice cold and neat after a meal, with cola, or stirred into cocktails such as the Hanky Panky and Toronto.
Is Fernet-Vittone sweet?
+
Barely. Fernet is the driest and most bitter amaro style, and Vittone is no exception.