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Negroni

Negroni — a rocks glass with a red-amber cocktail over a large ice cube and an orange peel, on a cream background

Equal parts character. The aperitivo that takes a thousand breaks.

Gin (or bourbon, mezcal, bubbles…) · Campari (or another bitter) · Sweet vermouth · Large ice · Orange peel

Florence, 1919. Count Camillo Negroni — who had roamed the world, the Wild West included — orders his usual Americano at Caffè Casoni, but stronger: he asks barman Fosco Scarselli to swap the soda for gin. An orange slice instead of lemon, to tell it apart. And so, the legend goes, the Negroni is born.

It's pure liquid geography: Campari from Milan and vermouth from Turin make the Milano-Torino; with soda it became the Americano, a tourist favourite; and by swapping that soda for gin, the Count turned it into the Negroni.

That's its genius: three equal thirds — spirit, bitter and vermouth. Change one third, keep the ratio, and out comes a variant with its own name. Many are already classics.

Method

The mould: 30 gin · 30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth. Stirred, large ice, orange peel. Each direction swaps one third and keeps the ratio.

The three equal parts: spirit, bitter, vermouth. Change one third.

This cocktail is a case of the method. Apply it to your own collision.Open the benchWhat does it cost to pour? Cost it — cost, margin and pour cost.Cost it

The directions

One constraint, several exits

  • Direction 1

    The Americano

    The ancestor: drop the gin entirely, bring back the soda.

    30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth · top with soda. Half orange slice.

    The origin. Where it all began — light, an aperitivo.

  • Negroni — The Sbagliato
    Direction 2

    The Sbagliato

    Break the spirit: bubbles instead of gin.

    30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth · top with prosecco (or cava). Half orange.

    Light and festive. The one of the moment.

  • Negroni — The Boulevardier
    Direction 3

    The Boulevardier

    Break the spirit: bourbon.

    30 bourbon · 30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth. Orange peel.

    Warm and wintry. Already a classic.

  • Negroni — The White
    Direction 4

    The White

    Break the bitter and vermouth: Suze and blanc vermouth.

    30 gin · 30 Suze · 30 blanc vermouth. Lemon peel.

    Pale, dry and floral.

  • Negroni — The Mezcal
    Direction 5

    The Mezcal

    Break the spirit toward smoke: mezcal.

    30 mezcal · 30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth. Burnt orange.

    Smoky and earthy.

  • Negroni — The Rosé
    Direction 6

    The Rosé

    Break the bitter: Aperol, softer.

    30 gin · 30 Aperol · 30 rosé vermouth. Grapefruit.

    Light aperitivo, terrace.

  • Negroni — The Coffee
    Direction 7

    The Coffee

    Break the spirit: coffee-infused gin.

    30 coffee gin · 30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth. Orange peel.

    Roasty and bitter. After-dinner.

  • Negroni — The Aged
    Direction 8

    The Aged

    Break through time: barrel-aged.

    Classic Negroni aged 4-6 weeks in a small barrel. Large ice.

    Round and silky. Bottled.

  • Negroni — The Clarified
    Direction 9

    The Clarified

    Break the body: clarified milk punch.

    Negroni curdled in hot milk, filtered crystal-clear. Chilled coupe, no colour.

    A red that pours clear. Showstopper.

  • Negroni — The Kingston
    Direction 10

    The Kingston

    Break the spirit toward tiki: aged rum and allspice.

    30 aged rum · 30 Campari · 30 sweet vermouth · 1 dash allspice. Lime.

    Spiced and warm. Caribbean.

  • Negroni — The Sherry
    Direction 11

    The Sherry

    Break the vermouth: amontillado in its place.

    30 gin · 30 Campari · 30 amontillado. Orange peel.

    Saline and nutty. Very Spanish.

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