Faccia Brutto Centerbe Herbal Liqueur

Faccia Brutto Centerbe, an Italian-style herbal liqueur, hails not from the old country, but from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. It’s the brainchild of Patrick Miller, a former chef who, inspired by his Italian heritage and love for amari, started Faccia Brutto in 2020. The brand is known for producing Italian-inspired liqueurs using organic ingredients and traditional methods, with a playful, intentionally grammatically incorrect name ("Faccia Brutto" translates to "ugly face" but uses the masculine "Brutto" instead of the feminine "Brutta"). This Centerbe, meaning "one hundred herbs," is a complex, vibrant green spirit made by macerating a blend of around 20 to 23 fresh and dried herbs and botanicals, like mint, sage, juniper, lemon balm, and anise hyssop, in non-GMO neutral grain spirit before being sweetened with organic cane sugar. Some batches even see a touch of salt before bottling to round out the flavors, a nod to Miller's culinary background.

Faccia Brutto Centerbe brings a vibrant, herbaceous punch with notes of tarragon, mint, and fennel, lending a complex, savory backbone to cocktails. It truly shines in stirred, spirit-forward drinks or as a surprising twist in a Last Word variation, adding an intriguing alpine character to your home bar creations.

Faccia Brutto Centerbe offers a complex herbal experience. Fresh herbs like mint, thyme, and sage define the initial impression, brightened by citrus and pine. The taste is boldly herbaceous with a cooling mint and eucalyptus, followed by tea-like chamomile and lemon balm, and a pleasant gentian bitterness. A long, warming finish lingers with peppermint, licorice, and subtle earthy, grassy notes.