The Negroni cocktail is a delicious, boozy prohibition era cocktail made with gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. It is considered an apéritif, which is ideally consumed before a meal… Or anytime, really. It is traditionally garnished with an orange peel, though lemon peel is sometimes used. It is traditionally enjoyed on the rocks, poured over ice, and served in an old fashioned glass.

The Negroni cocktail is a boozy one—with equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, it is sweet and bitter at the same time. Very enjoyable to sip on when it’s hot out while relaxing on a patio.

Depending on the bar or restaurant, the Negroni cocktail can be made quite differently. Sometimes the garnish includes orange peel, lemon peel, or sometimes nothing at all. Some Negronis can be quite strong while others can be quite watery. Some even put a twist on it, mixing ingredients like sparkling grapefruit juice into the mix to lighten it up and make it more drinkable, especially in the hot summer weather.

A nice, strong gin is preferred, rather than a delicately-flavoured one. The Campari and sweet vermouth are quite strong flavours, so a delicate gin would get lost.

Ingredients

1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Bombay Sapphire, or a comparable gin
1 oz. Martini Rosso, or a comparable Italian sweet vermouth

Preparation

In a martini shaker, gently mix all of the liquor. If you like it a bit gentler, you can shake it for longer, which would cause it to get watered down slightly.