Get a Taste of the Bartenders' Secret Weapon: Fernet-Branca

At first sip, the stuff is damn near undrinkable — and that's part of the charm of this Italian amaro. Derived from a secret 19th-century recipe of 40-odd herbs and spices, Fernet-Branca offers a bracing mouthful of eucalyptus, mint, and something that initially tastes like shoe leather. It's a combo that better barkeeps everywhere use to get their second wind after last call and head off hangovers the next day.

$27 at www.wallywine.com

—By Christopher Ross

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