Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Bitter, sweet and quick to make.
- Time
- 3 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- 2 UK units
How to make a Negroni
- Build it over ice. Pour the gin, Campari and vermouth into a mixing glass and fill it with ice.
- Stir until cold. Stir for about 30 seconds, until the outside of the glass feels properly cold and a little frosted.
- Strain onto fresh ice. Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass. Fresh ice melts slower than the ice you stirred with.
- Finish with orange. Squeeze a wide strip of orange peel over the drink, skin side down, so the oils spray across the top, then drop it in.
- Glass
- Rocks glassNo rocks glass? Any short, heavy tumbler.
- Ice
- One large cube
- Garnish
- Orange twistOr: A thin orange slice dropped in the glass.
What you need to make a Negroni
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Mixing glassAny sturdy jug or pint glass works.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
StrainerA Hawthorne strainer fits over the tin or glass.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- CampariThere is no swap for it: the drink is built on Campari's bitterness.Find it on Amazon
- A good sweet vermouthCocchi Vermouth di Torino is rich and spiced; Martini Rosso is lighter and easy to find.Find it on Amazon
- London dry ginSomething juniper-forward. Tanqueray or Beefeater both hold up well.Find it on Amazon
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The Negroni story
The usual story puts its birth in Florence around 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano to be made stronger and the bartender swapped the soda for gin. Whether or not every detail is true, the drink stuck, and Florence has claimed it ever since.
It is one of the few classics that is hard to get wrong: three bottles, equal measures, plenty of ice. The skill is in the balance you choose. A drier gin pulls it towards bitter and sharp; a richer vermouth rounds it out.
Negroni: your questions answered
What is in a Negroni?
A Negroni is made with 25 ml gin, 25 ml Campari and 25 ml sweet vermouth. Garnish: orange twist.
Is a Negroni shaken or stirred?
A Negroni is stirred, not shaken. Stirring with ice chills and dilutes it while keeping the drink clear and smooth. Shaking would cloud it and add tiny air bubbles, which suits citrus drinks but not this one.
How strong is a Negroni?
Made to this recipe, a Negroni contains about 2 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve a Negroni in?
Serve a Negroni in a rocks glass over ice. No rocks glass? Any short, heavy tumbler.
