Today marks the beginning of Negroni Week, an annual ode to a timeless cocktail so good it takes seven days to celebrate its heritage and evolution. We take a closer look at this classic libation and talk to leading bartenders about what makes the Negroni so alluring.
Even if you’ve never ordered one, or never even thought about ordering one, we’re pretty sure you’ve heard of the Negroni. A classic cocktail that’s claimed its place in popular culture, even the bushmen of the remote Kalahari Desert recognise this bold yet simplistic fire-engine-red cocktail for what it is – one of the most enduring drinks ever made. But what makes the Negroni such a go-to drink for bartenders and why has it enjoyed such a resounding renaissance, one that’s seen it not only get its own special day, but it’s own special week!
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Firstly, for those too shy to inquire, a Negroni is an Italian aperitif that combines gin with sweet vermouth, bitters (usually Campari), and fresh orange peel. Simply combine the bitters (20ml), gin (20ml), and vermouth (20ml) over ice in a mixing glass and stir – not shake – until chilled. Then serve over more ice in a rocks glass with a citrus peel garnish.
Sweet looking but packed with tart and sometimes earthy flavours (which is why it’s such a hit with bartenders), the Negroni was first created – so the legend goes – in 1919 in Florence, where bartender Fosco Scarselli, eager to please regular barfly Count Camillo Negroni, replaced the soda of the Count’s Americano with a slug of gin.
The perfect aperitivo cocktail, the Negroni became popular at Italian happy hours, especially in the post-war years, when Americans increasingly visited the country and ordered the drink. Even Orson Welles noted in a letter to the Coshocton Tribune that the Negroni’s “bitters are excellent for your liver, while the gin is bad for you; they balance each other.”
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Granted, the Negroni is not for everyone, and one could argue it’s certainly not a session cocktail, but it is one that displays balance and simplicity, and, since its revival in 2015, versatility as bartenders embrace the modern gin movement, alternative bitters, and infusions to recreate the Negroni time and time again.
“The Negroni is a cocktail that even a fairly basic bar and even a basic bartender can make, yet has a complexity of flavours and a template that a talented bartender can use and get creative with,” says leading mixologist Amanda Winchester. “For many, the first taste can be a challenge but it’s a challenge that if accepted will bring vast rewards.” Amanda recommends making Negronis with a juniper-forward gin, Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth and, like many bartenders, is a fan of Campari, the brand that breathed life back into the Negroni.
Marek Wo Vojcarcik, former Duddell’s barkeep and now Group Beverage General Manager at Indonesia’s ISMAYA GROUP, also believes Campari deserves credit for the drink’s resurgence.
“Personally I believe the cocktail gained popularity with [the late] Gary Regan and his initiatives with Campari in the US, including his famous finger-stirred Negroni. However, bartenders like this drink because it’s very easy to modify and to create twists on the original recipe. With the support of Negroni Week, organized by Imbibe Magazine and Campari globally, there is no lack of global reach.” At the Ismaya Group’s A/A Bar in Jakarta, the team makes their Negronis with gin infused with curry leaf, a drink that’s proven to be one of the bar’s best sellers.
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In fact, the key to the Negroni is to limit yourself to any one ingredient – its ability to be tweaked and redefined is what makes the Negroni so alluring – even Gary Regan had a recipe for the Ultimate Negroni that replaced Campari with Jagermeister. Try using Bitters from Del Professore or swapping out Campari for the slightly sweeter Aperol or Aperitivo, try rosé vermouth to add new layers of flavour, and replace citrus peel with rosemary or cinnamon.
Even better, use the Negroni as a means to showcase your favourite gins – the very reason there’s a Negroni Week is that bartenders love to swap out ingredients, innovate on the timeless, improve on perfection, and be part of the Negroni journey.
“The Negroni has always been a classic, probably because it’s so easy to substitute ingredients,” says award-winning Hong Kong bartender and bar owner Antonio Lai. “For example, using a shiso leaf-infused gin you’re able to enhance the flavour and create something new. It was really gin’s renaissance that led to the Negroni’s return because it’s a great gin classic for people wanting to try gin drinks. Having a week to celebrate the Negroni is also a memorial to figures like Gary Regan who helped the Negroni claim global recognition.”
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Antonio’s bar Quinary in Hong Kong offers the perfect example of the Negroni’s versatility in the form of the Golden Needle, Tanqueray Gin redistilled with blaze mushrooms and dried lily flowers, Campari, coffee-bean-infused Carpano Classico, Siberian ginseng, and goji berries.
So this week, be sure to ask your favourite bartender for their take on the Negroni, and raise a glass to Regan and his magic finger.
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