The bottle: Fernet-Branca, $30

The back story: Some call it “bracingly bitter.” Others are less charitable, saying it tastes like a “slap in the face.” But whatever the case, there’s no disputing one thing: Fernet-Branca is an “it” spirit these days.

The Italian-made sip, which has a history going back to 1845, is an herbal liqueur — made with some 27 herbs and spices, in fact. (The exact recipe remains a family secret.) It also belongs to a category of Italian drink known as amaro, an after-dinner offering that’s indeed prized for its bitterness (Campari is another example). But Fernet-Branca pushes the idea to an extreme. And yet, it’s caught on in the last decade, particularly with the mixology-minded crowd, who see it as a choice ingredient to enliven many a cocktail. The brand now stands as the second-most popular herbal liqueur in the world — with annual sales of more than five million cases. (The first? The frat-crowd favorite of Jagermeister.)

Fernet-Branca is also in something of an expansion mode: A Fernet-Branca-flavored beer is due out soon, created with Forbidden Root, a Chicago brewery.

What we think about it: We know many a Fernet-Branca fan, sophisticates who say they appreciate its hard-to-appreciate taste. Alas, we are not one of them. To us, Fernet-Branca tastes like mint-flavored shoe polish — and that’s perhaps being unfair to the shoe-polish industry.

Still, we recognize a couple of things: (1.) Fernet-Branca does take a mixed drink to another level — the bittern and herbaceous notes work well in a cocktail context; and (2.) we may need to keep on trying it. Fernet Branca is “something that grows on you,” says Edoardo Branca, the sixth-generation Branca family member who’s now helping guide the business.

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How to enjoy it: Yes, some people really do enjoy Fernet-Branca. Italians like it neat after-dinner, saying it helps soothe their stomach. Argentinians mix it with cola. And as we say, all the mixology world is playing with it in a variety of newfangled cocktails. But Edoardo Branca is partial to an older cocktail, the Hanky Panky, which combines Fernet-Branca with gin and sweet vermouth.