Punt E Mes

Legend holds that a Turin stockbroker ordered his vermouth with 'a point and a half' of bitters in 1870 — Piedmontese dialect for 'punt e mes' — and Carpano's bittersweet creation has carried the name ever since. A rare surviving example of vermouth con bitter, with 40 botanicals including quinine and orange peel infused into a white wine base, it sits somewhere between a sweet vermouth and a full amaro, making it a favorite substitute in Negronis and Manhattans.

Liqueur Details:Category: Vermouth Amaro (aromatized wine)Key Flavors/Botanicals: 40 herbs and spices, including quinine (cinchona) and orange peel, on a white wine baseABV: 16%Origin: Turin, Piedmont, ItalyProducer: Carpano, created 1870; acquired by Fratelli Branca Distillerie in 2001Bottle Size: 750ml