The Negroni. When the snow and cold begins to fade in the Spring, my thoughts always turn to the classic Negroni. I’m not sure why. The drink is lovely – even on cold snowy days. But there is something about the thought of sitting on the porch without a coat or sweater, sipping on this delightful little drink that makes spring seem springier.
The classic Negroni has been around for a long time – and the drink – as well as its structure – have inspired a multitude of variations. The original is two equal parts Italian, with a third part English thrown in. One line of variations swaps out one or two of the three base spirits, and possibly the garnish, to create an altogether different drink. But the structure itself – three equal spirits – (like that of the four equal part Last Word)– has also become a variation on the original.
Equal parts London dry gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Give it a stir and throw in a slice of orange and there you go. The late food sojourner Anthony Bordain called the Negroni perfect.
“A Negroni is a perfect drink as far as I’m concerned.“ says Bordain, adding. “It’s three liquors that I’m not particularly interested in … But put them together with a slice of orange. It works … That first sip is confusing and not particularly pleasant. But man, it grows on you.”
He also adds that one should drink them with caution. One or two before dinner, and you’re fine, but drink a third and you are likely to wake up somewhere without any pants.
The late, great cocktail bartender, alcohol historian, and author Gary ‘gaz’ Regan has a custom cocktail stirrer that is an exact replica of his finger, an ode to the classic way the drink is stirred – with your finger. In 2010 Regan was making Negronis with Philip Duff at a competition and had 20 drinks lined up. He couldn’t resist and stuck his finger in and stirred them all. From that point on, it was gaz’s thing. Even Anthony Bordain used his finger. Just make sure it’s clean – and probably only with friends.
But the real beauty of the Negroni is how many variations it has spawned. So as the summer heats up, give a couple of these a try.
The Classic Negroni
1/3 Campari
1/3 London dry gin
1/3 sweet vermouth
Orange wedge for garnish
The Negroni is one of those unusual classic drinks that has a specific and known history. It was created in 1919 at the Bar Casoni in Florence, Italy for Count Camillo Negroni. He ordered an Americano from bartender Forsco Scarselli, but with gin instead of soda and an orange slice instead of lemon. The drink was an instant hit, and the Negroni family quickly opened the Negroni Distillery to make ready-made versions of the drink, which is still in operation today. The count traveled extensively and included a stint in America where he spent time on horseback as a ‘cowboy, and time in London where it is assumed, he fell in love with gin.
The Quill
1oz Plymouth gin
1oz Campari
1oz sweet vermouth
4 dashes absinthe (24 drops)
Orange twist
If you like a Negroni – chances are you will like this too. A small variation on the classic gin, rosso vermouth, and Campari masterpiece. The addition of absinthe is the only change (other than an orange twist rather than a slice), but that small measure really changes the drink. 4 dashes are not a lot of absinthe, but it is a powerful high-proof spirit and a little goes a long way. Interestingly enough, the absinthe seems to manner the bitterness of the Campari, without masking it with the absinthe. The anise is barely perceptible, allowing more floral and fruit notes to surface. A worthwhile variation of the Negroni.
The exact origins of the Quill Cocktail are unknown, but it first saw print in Harry MacElhone’s ‘Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails’ printed in 1930. He credits it to Frank C. Payne, founder of the Theatrical Press Agents of America, which published The Quill magazine. Whether Payne created the cocktail or is simply recognized in the name is unknown.
The Negroni Sbagllato
1 part sweet vermouth
1 part Campari
1 part prosecco
Orange peel garnish
Sbagliato means “messed up” or “mistaken” in Italian, and the drink has a fun history beginning with an error. The story goes that in 1968, head bartender Mirko Stocchetto at Bar Basso in Milan was in the middle of a rush and someone had rearranged the back bar bottles. Stocchetto, a barman who cut his teeth at Harry’s Bar in Venice, was so accomplished that he never used a jigger – and instead could accurately measure everything visually. He reached for what should have been the gin (the bottles had been rearranged), and instead grabbed the bottle of sparkling wine. Sounds a little implausible for someone who could free-pour everything behind the bar, but the drink was sipped by the customer before the mistake could be corrected, and the rest is history. It was a smashing success and has become the house drink at Bar Basso.
The Enzoni
1oz London Dry gin
1oz Campari
3/4oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2oz simple syrup
5 green seedless grapes
3 more grapes for garnish
While technically a fall cocktail when grapes are in season, I find this really refreshing on a hot day as well. The Enzoni is a cross between a Negroni and a gin sour and is pretty tasty. Traditionally it is made with green grapes, but I don’t think it really matters. Your drink – your rules. It’s like a bright and fresh Negroni.
The Enzoni was created by Vincenzo Errico while working at Milk & Honey in New York City in 2003. Errico was trained by the legendary barman Dick Bradsel, who created two modern classics, the Espresso Martini and the Bramble.
The Comte de Sureau, aka the Elderflower Negroni
1 1/2oz London dry gin
1oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/4oz Campari
Orange and lemon zest
Everything is better with St Germain. St Germain is one of the most accessible, lovely liqueurs on the market. It is so nice, that Death & Co. in NYC calls it ‘ketchup’ as an inside joke – it can make an average cocktail wonderful (a splash is amazing in an Aperol Spritz). This is a really solid riff on the classic Negroni. The generous orange and lemon oil expressed over the surface is wonderful to the nose, as well as adding to the first several sips. Sharp, but rich at the first sip, and it only gets better the second, then the third. The St Germain wrangles the gin and calms the Campari to make a wonderful drink. Rich and a little sweet, but packed with flavor ranging from botanical, to fruit-sweet to slightly bitter. And I am sure that in no way describes how utterly wonderful it is.
The White Negroni
1 1/2oz London dry gin
1oz Lillet Blanc aperitif
1/2oz Suze gentian liqueur
Lemon zest
This is my first cocktail with Suze, and while I think it is very interesting, it takes a couple sips to ease into it. The drink is a riff on the original Negroni with Lillet Blanc in place of the vermouth, and Suze for the Campari. The Suze is derived from the gelatin root, which has a warm, bitter taste to it. And it is the star here. It is bitter – but has an earthy-umami bitterness to it. Not as brightly sharp as the Campari, but just as bitter. The lemon gives the drink a beautiful crispness, but it’s really about the Trinity of the gin, Lillet, and Suze. I made one with Plymouth gin and a second with a London dry gin and liked the second far better. More gin forward.
The Nuked Negroni
(batched recipe – add everything to a glass bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Let cool and fine strain into a glass stoppered bottle and store in the refrigerator))
12oz London dry gin
12oz Campari
12oz sweet vermouth
6 blackberries
1 long strip of grapefruit peel (being careful to leave the white pith behind)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Serve with a thin grapefruit wedge
This recipe is for a batched Negroni, with the thought that you can have a bottle in your refrigerator, and not be stuck behind a bar when guests arrive. I love a good Negroni, and this is excellent. Chetiyawardana likes the microwave for this drink because it is either on or off, so it is easy to control. You don’t want to overheat the liquid, or the alcohol will flash off. But the heat really brings out the oil of the grapefruit, lightly caramelizes the blackberries, and infuses a very subtle herbal rosemary into the drink. It really accentuates the bitter-sweet profile of this classic. A brilliant drink, and it just entered my top ten list.
This riff on the classic Negroni is by Ryan Chetiyawardana, a.k.a Mr. Lyan, at his London White Lyan bar. “The blackberry coaxes some of the fruit of the Campari and vermouth,” Chetiyawardana says, “while the rosemary delivers a welcome herbal dryness.” He is arguably one of the best mixologists anywhere right now, winning a host of accolades. He brings a scientific approach to cocktails, which somehow seems perfect for these crazy times we are living.
So grab a glass and a couple of bottles to make up a Negroni to enjoy on the porch or patio. And maybe use this as an excuse to try a spirit you have never used before.
Cheers!
Bill
AotCB-035
Instagram@architecture_of_the_cocktail
