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Fanciulli (modern variation)

1 1⁄2 oz Bourbon (Up to 2 oz of bourbon or rye)
3⁄4 oz Sweet vermouth
1⁄4 oz Fernet Branca
Instructions

Stir with ice, strain into cocktail glass

Notes

Updated to include more recent variations and history of original.

History

Curator note: creation date of the original Fanciulli is unknown, but the cocktail was recorded by Albert Stevens Crockett in 1931 "Old Waldorf Bar Days" as predating Puccini's 1910 opera "Fanciulla del
West."

This is a modern take on the version reported by Crockett, which called for 2:1:1 ratios of "whiskey" (bourbon or rye), "Italian vermouth", and Fernet Branca.

Cocktail summary
Year
~1900
Is an
altered recipe
Reference

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123092858411149807.html
https://www.liquor.com/fanciulli-cocktail-recipe-8385983

Curator
Not yet rated
User rating
3.5 stars
(14 ratings)
Yields Drink

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Comments
MOJO1229 commented on 2/24/2018:

The Fanciulli Manhattan is an interesting yet flawed drink, in my estimation. Why do I say this? I'm fond of all three ingredients, but when put together with the given recipe, the small amount of Fernet Branca overwhelms the other two ingredients. I used Maker's Mark bourbon and Dolin sweet vermouth for the other ingredients. The resulting cocktail I rated as 3.5.

My suggestion is to use either an overproof bourbon (such as Baker's or Basil's) or a bourbon with more overtones than Maker's Mark (such as Dickel's 8 year Tennessee sour mash, or Jim Beam black). The other alternative is to use a quality rye instead of the bourbon. For now, I'm calling the Fanciulli Manhattan a work in progress, and hope that with the changes I suggested, it will become a cocktail that will be rated consistently at a 4.0 or higher.

Shawn C commented on 12/01/2025:

Curation note: I have updated this cocktail, correcting the name from "Fanciulli Manhattan" (not the name in sources) to Fanciulli while noting the proportions are a modern variation. I have added the Liquor.com link for a common variation w/2 oz of whiskey. The original recorded in 1931 had far more fernet, and could be either bourbon or rye. I have been experimenting with some of what claims to be the original fernet, Fernet Vittone (ca. 1842 vs. 1845 for Fernet Branca) and made a variation I like with 1.75 oz Bulleit Bourbon, 3/4 oz Cocchi di Torino, and 1/2 oz of Fernet Vittone. Fernet Vittone is drier, with a less aggressive flavor than the saffron/menthol of Fernet Branca.