Negroni

While the gin selection will undoubtedly change the flavor of this drink, the vermouth is most likely the biggest factor on the taste of your Negroni. When you look to adjust this recipe to your palate, try swapping the vermouth first. Vermouths vary widely; experiment with different brands!

This drink is not for everyone – the bitter flavor might be too intense. Discovering and identifying different flavors is one of the most enjoyable things about this craft; but that doesn’t mean you have to like everything the first time you try it!

If you are only beginning to explore these intense flavors, try a Negroni Sour or a Jungle Bird. These cocktails also have a bitter element but in a much more manageable quantity. If you find yourself liking those drinks, come back to the Negroni and give it another try, the results might surprise you!

As with most cocktails, the garnish in this drink is not merely for presentation: the orange nose creates a transition from bright and citrusy, followed by rich, fruity flavors, ending in bitter notes.

If you wanted to describe this drink in terms of music, it could be represented as a continuous slide from the highest notes to the bassiest ones (a glissando on a piano). This is partly why this drink is so ubiquitous! When making cocktails, keep these flavor transitions in mind.

This drink is fairly forgiving and also serves as a base template. Experiment by tweaking the ratios until you find the one you like most. Additionally, try swapping out the gin for other spirits: rum, whisk(e)y, mezcal (see Related Cocktails). You can also try switching the sweet vermouth for the white or dry varieties.

This is one of our preferred drinks to order in a bar where you’re unsure of the quality of the cocktails that will be served: The ratios are mostly forgiving, plus you’re not dealing with any sweeteners or juices. It’s hard to mess up!

As with many older cocktails, the origin of the Negroni is fiercely debated. One story tells of a request by an Italian nobleman, Count Camillo Negroni, around 1919 in Florence at Bar Casoni. He asked for a stronger version of his favorite drink: An Americano.

Alternatively, descendants of the French General Pascal Olivier de Negroni claim he was the one who invented the drink in 1857 in Senegal. They also appear to have correspondence to back it up.

Orson Welles praised the drink while he was making the film “Black Magic” in Rome in 1947: "The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other."

Negronis have historically been a favorite of chefs and other folks that work in the food industry. It was a favorite of Anthony Bourdain. 

Negroni week is celebrated every year in June.