You’ll never forget your first sip of a Negroni cocktail. It is like a party in your mouth as it tastes earthy, bitter, and sweet all at the same time. It’s quite visually stunning as the ruby-like jewel tones of the Italian cocktail paired with the bright orange peel garnish makes it perfect for holiday gatherings, but it pairs well with any occasion. For another classic cocktail that pairs well for any occasion, try my Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktails.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Gin — gin is a distilled spirit flavored with botanicals. While I would usually recommend using a high-quality premium gin, you can use whatever brand of gin you have on hand for a Negroni as the Campari overpowers any subtle flavors from the gin.
Campari — this bright red liqueur is a popular bitter Italian aperitif. It has a robust bitter flavor thanks to a blend of herbs and spices. Be sure to measure properly since it has a spicy-sweet flavor that really packs a bite!
Vermouth — be sure to pick up sweet red vermouth and not dry white vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine, but the two types are quite different. Dry vermouth is from France and has a crisp tart flavor similar to a dry white wine. Sweet vermouth is from Italy and tastes sweet, spiced, and herbal. Once open, vermouth needs to be stored in the refrigerator and used within two months.
HOW TO MAKE A NEGRONI
1. Slice the peel off an orange.
2. Add 1 oz of gin to a glass.
3. Add 1 oz of sweet vermouth to the glass.
4. Add 1 oz of Campari to the glass.
5. Add ice to the Negroni.
6. Stir to combine.
7. Flame the orange peel over the glass. Wipe the rim with the orange peel and drop in.
8. Serve the Negroni immediately.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- You can juice the orange and add a splash of the orange juice for a little sweetness to temper this negroni.
- When cutting the orange peel, make sure there is as little pith as possible as it’ll taste bitter.
- If you’re not confident that you’ll slice a thin orange peel with a knife, you can use a vegetable peeler.
- To help your negroni stay cold longer, you can place your glasses in the freezer beforehand. If you didn’t put the glasses in the freezer early enough, you can also fill the glasses with some water and place them in the freezer while preparing to make the drink for a quick chill.
- Feel free to double or triple the Negroni recipe, just be sure to use a larger glass to mix your ingredients.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I flame an orange peel? What does it do?
To flame an orange peel, run a flame under the exterior part of the orange peel to warm it. Then angle the peel over the glass and light a flame under it as you squeeze the peel. When you place a flame under an orange peel, the oils from the orange peel will spark and flame out. The Negroni will get a toasted orange aroma if you do all of this over the glass.
Can I use Aperol? What are more variations?
Both Campari and Aperol are Italian-made bitter aperitifs. However, Aperol is less bitter, sweeter, and the spirit is lower proof. You can substitute 1 oz of sweet vermouth for 1 oz Aperol. Another variation you can try is swapping gin for bourbon to make a Boulevardier. You can also make a Negroni Sbagliato by substituting the gin for Prosecco.
What is the origin of the cocktail?
The negroni supposedly earned its name when Count Camillo Negroni asked his bartender to make his favorite drink, an Americano, stronger by substituting the soda water for gin. The bartender also swapped the lemon garnish found in Americanos for an orange peel instead. This means, if you want to make an Americano, simply use soda water.
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Negroni
Video
Equipment
- Stir stick
Ingredients
- 1 oz gin 30mL
- 1 oz Campari 30mL
- 1 oz sweet vermouth 30mL
- orange peel
Instructions
- Add gin, Campari, and vermouth in a lowball with ice. Stir until chilled.
- Flame the orange peel over the glass.
- Wipe the rim with the orange peel, drop in and drink.
Notes
- You can juice the orange and add a splash of the orange juice for a little sweetness to temper this drink.
- When cutting the orange peel, make sure there is as little pith as possible as it’ll taste bitter.
- If you’re not confident that you’ll slice a thin orange peel with a knife, you can use a vegetable peeler.
- To help your drink stay cold longer, you can place your glasses in the freezer beforehand. If you didn’t put the glasses in the freezer early enough, you can also fill the glasses with some water and place them in the freezer while preparing to make the drink for a quick chill.
- Feel free to double or triple the Negroni recipe, just be sure to use a larger glass to mix your ingredients.
