The I.B.F. Pick-Me-Up comes from Harry MacElhone’s book Barflies and Cocktails (1927). Its base resembles an Improved Cocktail of sorts, with Cognac as the main spirit and layers of orange, menthol, and eucalyptus from the combination of Curaçao and Fernet-Branca. I chose to put this one over a big ice cube as the base is quite strong—but very delicious.

Many people don’t know that fernet isn’t a product made by a single producer–Fratelli Branca–but a subcategory of amaro. It should be said, though, that its categorization as an amaro is sometimes disputed because many fernets are technically not liqueurs (contain no sugar except to color the spirit).