The Negroni Cocktail Recipe: A Complex Sweet And Bitter Gin Cocktail

negroni cocktail recipe history
The Negroni Cocktail Recipe: A Complex Sweet And Bitter Gin Cocktail
The Negroni is a near-perfect combination of spiritous, sweet, and bitter.

The rumor is that this drink was created in Italy in the early 20th century, when a Count asked his bartender to strengthen his Americano by replacing the soda water with gin. What came about was, frankly, a dramatically superior drink, with a stronger, more complex and nuanced flavor profile.

The Negroni is a near-perfect combination of spiritous, sweet, and bitter. I say near-perfect because some people may find the Campari that traditionally supplies that last characteristic a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, Aperol delivers an extremely similar flavor profile but with less … oomph. If you like bitter, go with the Campari. If you prefer things a little less powerful, choose Aperol.

This drink can be served on the rocks, or up. Lately I’ve been going with the latter, but on warm summer evenings, drinking a Negroni on the rocks is a fine choice. It’s also a good low-alcohol option, as both the vermouth and Campari contain less than half the ABV of many spirits.

This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts. Liquors in parentheses are what I used when I made this recipe, and are included as suggestions.

negroni cocktail recipe

The Negroni Cocktail Recipe

A complex sweet and bitter gin cocktail
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 1 Drink

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients over ice in a pint glass and stir thoroughly. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. No garnish.
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Christopher Buecheler

Christopher Buecheler is a novelist, a web developer, an award-winning amateur mixologist, a brewer, a guitarist, a drummer, and an NBA enthusiast. He lives a semi-nomadic life with his wife and two cats, currently residing in Providence, RI. You can learn more at his website, cwbuecheler.com.