It consists of a selection of high-quality Italian wines and over 50 different herbs and spices. The taste is sweet - with an intriguing hint of orange peel. This recipe is ideal as a classic aperitif “on the rocks” or mixed with soda, but is also suitable for long drinks, for mixing or as a digestif.
In 1786 Antonio Benedetto Carpano created the first bitter aperitif in his wine shop in Piazza Castello in Turin. In 1870, the "Punt e Mes" brand was created in this house, on the following occasion: A group of bankers and brokers met, because there you could get individual aperitifs with a splash of bitters. Engrossed in his business, a young banker ordered "un punt e mes" (in Piedmontese one and a half points as in stock prices) from Antonio Carpano of bitters, and a new, great brand was born.
The bizarre origin of the new name was then punctuated by a whimsical habit of the establishment's regulars, who began ordering punt e mes with a gesture. In fact, it was enough for the guest to give their order to the waiter with a gesture, by lifting their thumb (a punt) and then drawing a horizontal line in the air (mes), whereupon the waiter immediately brought the desired punt e mes.
