Gajárdo Fernet Radicale

In 2013, Marco Schiavo, the fifth-generation owner and master distiller of Distilleria Schiavo in a small town near Vicenza called Costabissara, began experimenting with a traditional way of producing Italian liqueurs. As a follower of the Slow Food movement, all commercially available products were too artificially sweetened and, above all, not bitter enough for him.

After meeting with like-minded bartender Giacomo Diamante, the two set out to try different macerations that offer an uncompromisingly herbal and bitter taste right through the finish, while also working perfectly in cocktails without adding the usual large amounts of sugar to the product.

The base for the Gajárdo products is a neutral alcohol made from fruits, to which an 18-day infusion of various herbs, roots and spices with bâtonnage processes is used to give their unique aroma. Among the herbs used are gentian, saffron, rhubarb, licorice and mint.

After maceration, the Fernet is only quite coarsely filtered at room temperature, so it has not undergone the usual chill filtration and can therefore still contain suspended solids despite its 40% vol. and appear cloudy when consumed ice-cold.

In the aroma, in addition to the prominent bitter notes, the typical mint immediately stands out. On the palate, the strong herbal impression is complemented by gentian and licorice before the fresh mint notes take over again on the finish.

Drinking suggestions:

Made as a digestive, this is also the clear drinking recommendation (ice cold), but creative cocktails can also be conjured up with the Fernet.