For me, the Negroni is the iconic holiday drink.
There are cocktails, then there’s the Negroni, for many, THE cocktail. No other cocktail is so delicious and refreshing in summer, so cheerful and beautiful during the holidays, and so easy and simple to make in countless variations.
For me, a Negroni is the ultimate party cocktail. First, you can do a lot at once if you have a larger group. Second, it is beautiful and colorful. And finally, it’s perfect with a little spice if you want to go there. Give me a Negroni over gluhwein or rum eggs any day.
Some people will say they don’t like Negronis because they are too bitter or too sweet. More than likely, they had their first Negroni at a bar they didn’t care about. Here’s how to make the Negroni the right way, one sip and you’ll see why it’s the most popular cocktail of the past 100 years and is looking to be the most popular cocktail for the next 100 years.
What is a Negroni cocktail?
A Negroni is a sweet and slightly bitter drink reminiscent of an aperitif, but packs a big punch unlike most aperitifs. It is perfect as a cocktail before or during dinner, as the bitter notes bring out the flavors of the food very well.
The invention of the Negroni goes to a count named Camillo Negroni who wanted something stronger than his usual drink, a Mi-To, named after the twin cities of Milan and Turin, later renamed the Americano because Americans loved it so much during the First World War. A Mi-To consisted of camphor, vermouth and soda. To make the drink stronger, he subbed in zero ABV soda for the gin, and that’s how the magic happened.
Classic Negroni recipe
The classic Negroni recipe consists of equal parts gin, campari and red vermouth, built over ice and served with an orange peel garnish.
Negroni Error
Recently, it has become popular on tiktok to swap gin for a sparkling wine (ideally, Prosecco). Makes a lighter, fizzier and more fun cocktail. This is great for both summer and the holidays, especially if you love the flavor but don’t want to be completely wasted around the family. It’s also just a great cocktail to serve to people with a lower alcohol tolerance.
Negroni ingredients
Although most sources will tell you that a Negroni has 3 ingredients, a Negroni actually has 5 ingredients: gin, campari, vermouth, ice, and orange peel.
Gin
Most people are proud of their gin and in most bars you will find them very proud of the gin they use. I disagree though, gin is important, but the punch of camphor and vermouth kill almost any subtle herbal nuances, top shelf gin will get you. I use whatever gin I have on hand, but I usually use Beefeater. I’m currently drinking Drumshanbo, a gin with Asian-inspired botanicals (star anise and cardamom) that’s great in a Negroni.
Campari
Campari is absolutely necessary for a proper Negroni. You do not accept substitutes.
Vermouth
This, in my opinion, makes the biggest difference between a good Negroni and a great Negroni. I try to stay away from bottom shelf vermouth like the Martini. I’d rather spend my money on a good vermouth over a top shelf gin any day. My favorites are Punt e Mes, Cocchi Torino, and especially Carpano Antica.
When I first started drinking Negronis, the Mid Punt was $75+. I was over the moon when we were in Buenos Aires one year and they were the equivalent of $5 a bottle. I brought home 6 bottles. Thankfully it has come down in price as it has grown in popularity since then.
Of the three, I really like Carpano Antica because it comes in a smaller bottle. Vermouth is a wine-based liqueur, which means that the moment you open it, it begins to degrade. You should keep your vermouth in the fridge and only buy a size that you know you can finish in less than a month.
You know the old adage never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink? My experience is that most people have never tasted vermouth on its own. The difference in price between a high-end vermouth and a bottle-shelf vermouth is usually only a few dollars, but the difference in taste is out of this world.
ICE
Invest in a good 2” ice cube covered tray for your cocktails. You don’t need to go crazy and make pure ice, but traditionally, these cocktails were served with large ice cubes from the days before plastic ice trays and chip ice machines. A covered ice cube tray protects your ice from any stray freezer odors. If your tap water doesn’t taste great, consider using filtered or bottled water for your ice, even if it seems like overkill.
Decorate
One of the main parts of a Negroni is the orange peel, which complements the camphor and adds a bit of acid to offset the sweetness of the vermouth, especially if you’ve taken my advice and gone for a more premium vermouth, which tends to be sweeter. When I was younger, I skipped the orange peel (because you needed a fresh orange, which I never had), and the first time I tried it, I was amazed at the difference it made. For extra flavor, you can squeeze, sprinkle, or even burn your orange peel, but I prefer the subtle purity of a pure orange peel.
Shaken or agitated
Please never shake a Negroni.
How to make a Negroni
- Prepare a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
- Peel off a 1” x 4” strip of orange peel and cut as needed.
- Build drink over ice.
- mix for 30 seconds.
- Decorateand enjoy immediately.
Negroni Glass
A Negroni should never be served high or in a flute. Properly it should be in a low ball/rocks/old fashioned grass glass. A correct size Negroni is 3 oz plus ice, so a double glass is about the right size.
My best Negroni recipe
If you’re a drinker at all, you’ll find the classic 1:1:1 ratio of a Negroni a little sweet. If you are not a drinker, you may find it very bitter. Once, I served a Negroni for the first time to a wine snob friend of mine who had never had one. This was in the dark ages when appletini were popular. He found it extremely bitter, though in the decades since, he has taken to serving it before dinner.
But if you prefer your Negroni on the more balanced side, my favorite Negroni recipe I’ve had for years is 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, 3/4 oz Campari, and 1.5 oz gin.
BOULEVARD
I used to order this exclusively in bars and for the first few years, no bartender really knew what it was. Then, at night, it was more popular on bar menus than the Negroni – which is either off the menu in most places or served with some variation, such as sake. A Boulevardier swaps herbal gin for earthy, spiced bourbon, which creates a darker drink that’s sort of the love of a Negroni and a Manhattan, combining them into the best of both worlds, like food. Italian of New York.
The Negroni is one of my all-time favorite cocktails, and I’ve been drinking this version for decades. I hope you give it a try, especially with the right vermouth.
Cheers!
Mike
My best negroni
What it lacks in purity of equal measures, it gains in taste
It serves 1
- 1 ice cube 2″x2″
- 1 orange peel abbreviated
- 1.5 oz gin such as beefeater
- 3/4 oz Campari
- 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
Nutrition facts
My best negroni
Amount per service
Calories 195
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.01 g0%
Saturated fat 0.01 g0%
cholesterol 0.01 mg0%
Sodium 1 mg0%
potassium 0.01 mg0%
Carbohydrates 6.7 g2%
Fiber 0.01 g0%
Sugar 0.01 g0%
Protein 0.01 g0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
