Prizefighter

1 oz Fernet Branca

1 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica Formula

1⁄4 oz Lemon juice

3⁄4 oz Simple syrup

1 pn Salt

2 wdg Lemon

6 lf Mint

Instructions

Muddle lemon wedges with mint, salt and simple. Shake. Strain. Rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with ample mint.

Notes

If no Carpano use Punt y mes or a full oz of Angostura.

Cocktail summary

Created by

Nick Jarrett, Dram and Flatiron Lounge, NYC

Is an

authentic recipe

Curator

Not yet rated

Average

4.5 stars

(15 ratings)

Cocktail Book

From other users

Nice low ABV drink. I'm not a fan of Fernet Branca but this worked out swell.
Very unique and fairly complex. The fernet is very subdued in a great way.
Very good, bitter and fresh, well balanced — ★★★★

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Comments

Has anyone actually made this? It looks like a heck of a lot of simple syrup, given the piddly amount of lemon and the other two sweet ingredients. Seems like it would be toothache sweet.

Give it a try. I love Fernet Branca and this was one of my favorite drinks on my last visit to Dram.

Dan,

The muddled lemon ought to give the 1/4 oz lemon juice a bit of lift, I'd think.

Zachary

2 wedges of lemon is often 1/3 of a lemon or around 1/2 oz juice (sometimes lemons are cut into 1/8th). 1/2 + 1/4 = 3/4 oz which will balance the simple syrup. Fernet is low sugar and does need sweetness to make it more palatable and that can come from the sweet vermouth. It is a rather balanced drink. Also, my Mint Julep recipe uses a 1/2 oz of simple syrup only balanced by Bourbon and dilution.

Thanks for the citrus math, yarm. It was enough to get me to try this. The ingredients play nice although dilution is your friend here. I might try again with 1/2oz simple for kicks.

I'm also surprised there's no elaboration on the note: "If no Carpano use Punt y mes or a full oz of Angostura." A full oz Ango?!

Those notes are Sandy's not Nick's. If you don't have Carpano, just use the sweet vermouth that you have. Worked for me -- won't be as robustly flavored but it will be more in the ball park than those two suggestions.