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There’s something about a Negroni cocktail that makes you feel like you are drinking something fancy and sophisticated. Perhaps it’s the reddish color or how they are garnished, I’m not sure but I do know that these are excellent cocktails.
What is a Negroni?
The Negroni cocktail doesn’t have any officially known origins but it’s believed to have been first created around 1919. It’s a great drink that combines three primary ingredients; Gin, Vermouth and Campari.
It’s commonly served in an old fashioned glass and while some places serve it with chipped ice (which is a huge no-no in my books for pretty much any cocktail as it waters them down horribly), it’s best to serve it with a large ice cube.
What does a Negroni taste like?
I would liken the taste to a bitter, sweet orange taste. The Campari and vermouth combined well and you either love it or you hate it. Do keep in mind, however, that this is a strong drink so expect it to taste like one.
How to Make a Negroni
Making a Negroni is super simple but one thing you’ll definitely want to make sure you have before you do so is some means of making a large ice cube. I use a Whiskey Barrel Ice Baller myself (it’s the envy of all of my family) because it does an amazing job and makes the perfect ice ball each time.
Putting chipped ice or ice from an ice maker into this drink will work but it will quickly dilute the drink making it less flavorful. If you don’t want to spend the money on a true ice baller, you can also use simple silicon molds (which I do sometimes as well).
Recommended Garnish
This drink is always garnished with an orange peel, slice or similar. In my case, I wanted to make the drink pop a bit more so I decided to char my orange slice to give it a slightly more visually appealing look. I literally just did this over a gas burner in my kitchen so it’s not particularly hard and you don’t need any special tools to do it. I also happen to think it makes this picture look far more interesting.
Negroni Variations
Here are a few classic variations on the cocktail that you might want to try.
- Americano
An Americano is a variation consisting of just the Campari and Sweet Vermouth with no gin and a splash of soda. - Boulevardier
This is another common variation that replaces the gin with whiskey. - Dutch Negroni
A Dutch Negroni uses the same ingredients but substitutes Jenever instead of gin.
Some other great cocktails to try
Enjoy!
~Mr Magpie (Mike)
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Negroni Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
- 1 slice orange
Instructions
- Combine vermouth, gin and Campari in a Shaker with ice.
- Shake until cold to the touch.
- Pour over a large ice cube into an old fashioned glass.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
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