Faccia Brutto liquors are crafted by Patrick Miller, formerly of Rucola Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to opening Rucola, he worked for 14 years at restaurants around the world. He grew up in an Italian family in Los Angeles and was strongly influenced as a child by his Italian mother and grandparents for whom the Fernet (Pianta) and Amoro (Gorini) are named.

This aperitivo is a bittersweet rendition of the classic “red bitter” but with more character. They infuse 17 fresh and dried organic botanicals such as gentian, kola nut, hibiscus and rhubarb root in non-GMO neutral grain spirit for two weeks. At that point they add pure water and fresh orange peels (2 whole oranges per bottle!) and let that steep overnight. Straining and filtering the resulting tincture for the crystalline appearance, they finally add organic cane sugar and cochineal to achieve the ruby hue we all love.