Negroni – How to make the best negroni cocktail!

Negroni Cocktail

Served ice cold, with an orange slice garnish, a Negroni might very well become your favorite sipper especially if you don’t enjoy overly sweet drinks. Considered an apéritif, or a before-dinner drink, but great all on its own, a Negroni consists of equal parts Campari, red vermouth, and gin.

A Negroni packs a punch since there are no mixers. Take your time and savor every sip. Appreciate the complexity of flavors in this refreshing cocktail. It’s a little hard to describe the taste of a Negroni. It’s on the bitter side, there are herbal notes, and definitely citrus.

Reportedly a favorite of Ernest Hemingway and more recently, Anthony Bourdain, a Negroni is a classic. There’s even a special Negroni week to celebrate this cocktail!

Ingredient Notes

• Campari: No substitutes here, you have to buy Campari, an Italian bitter aperitif that is made from herbs and fruit. It contains alcohol and is often mixed with prosecco for a spritz cocktail. (Aperol is another bitter aperitif but is sweeter and lighter in color.)
• Red Vermouth: A sweeter and richer vermouth than the white variety, it’s also known as Rosso or Rijo vermouth. Red vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with botanicals. Since it is a wine, vermouth should be refrigerated once it’s opened and it will keep about a month.
• Gin: A London dry gin is the best gin for this cocktail.

How to make a Negroni

The ratio is 1:1:1. That is, one part Campari, one part red vermouth, and one part gin. Easy to make, easy to remember for the next time!

Add ice to a pitcher or large measuring cup. Add measured amounts of Campari, red vermouth, and gin.

Stir well, until the ingredients are well chilled by the ice.

Put the desired amount of ice into two glasses. Pour the cocktail evenly into the glasses, straining out the ice from the pitcher.

Garnish each cocktail with a slice of orange. If you prefer, a curl of orange peel makes a nice garnish too. Enjoy immediately! Serve your Negroni with olive oil roasted almonds, seasoned oyster crackers, or homemade cheese crackers.

Why is it called a Negroni?

This cocktail is named for Italian Count Camillo Negroni, from the early 1900s, who asked his bartender to make an Americano a bit stronger (with more alcohol). The bartender obliged and replaced the soda water with gin, and garnished his creation with an orange slice to distinguish it further. Thus the Negroni was born.

Recipe Variations

• Dial down the bitter flavor. There are a few variations you could lessen the natural bitterness of this cocktail. Add a dash of simple syrup to taste; squeeze in an ounce of fresh orange juice; or top your drink with splash of club soda or prosecco which will also add fizziness.
• Use a cocktail shaker. If you want your Negroni chilled but not on the rocks, add the ingredients with ice to a cocktail shaker, shake briefly, and strain it into glasses.
• Make it stronger. If you really want a cocktail with a kick, double the amount of gin, or double the Campari or the red vermouth.

Prep Ideas

This cocktail is best served immediately. To avoid a lot of last minute prep, chill the ingredients, slice the oranges for the garnish ahead of time, make sure you have plenty of fresh ice, and polish up your glasses so they’re sparkling clean.