
The many faces of Fernet —
Juan Chico is the manager of a bar in the upscale Palermo neighborhood in Buenos Aires. He sells an average of 70 glasses of Fernet a day. Even its fans describe the drink as "disgusting." Fernet is popularly mixed with Coca-Cola, contributing to Argentina's world-beating thirst for the soda.

Do you remember the first time? —
It's hard to describe the flavor of Fernet other than it tastes ... like Fernet. These testers in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires were asked to reenact the face that they made the first time they tried the beverage.

Bleargh! —
Most people, like this Peruvian woman, were horrified after their first sips of Fernet. Despite its bitter flavor, Argentina drinks more of it than any other country.

Never again —
Fernet was initially sold in Italian drugstores as a digestive aid. It has a sharp medicinal taste.

Tough guy —
Typical first taste reactions include scrunched faces and gagging. This guy recalls handling it fairly well.

Welcome to Fernet! —
As expressed on this Congolese immigrant's face, Fernet tastes terrible to the unseasoned drinker. But many people are soon won over.

Fernet forever —
The Fernet recipe contains about 40 different herbs. It hasn't changed in 170 years.