Name: Negroni Cocktail
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Gin; 30 ml Red bitter liqueur; 30 ml Rosso/sweet vermouth

Negroni Cocktail
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Photographed in an Urban Bar Fluet Old Fashioned 34cl

Ingredients:
1 oz	Hayman's London Dry Gin
1 oz	Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
1 oz	Strucchi Rosso Vermouth

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
Prepare garnish of orange wedge or slice and/or orange zest twist.
POUR all ingredients into ice-filled glass.
STIR.
Garnish with orange wedge or slice and/or orange zest twist.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Rosso/rouge/sweet vermouth (di Torino) - Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Glowing red, the Negroni manages to be both sophisticated and simple at the same time and is definitely for a grown-up palate - for many it's simply too bitter. It takes its depth from the vermouth, is centred by the bittersweet liqueur, and is made to sing through the vitality of the gin. It makes the perfect aperitivo and, though popular the world over, is the traditional default during aperitivo hour in Milan.

In line with my preferred Negroni proportions, most recipes call for the ingredients to be mixed in equal parts. In his 2003 The Joy of Mixology Gary Regan emphatically states, "don't experiment with the proportions here - the balance is of primary importance.... and using equal parts of each ingredient is absolutely necessary to achieve perfection." However, by 2012 Gary had become "gaz" and in The Negroni: A gaz regan Notion he says, "you can slap my wrist and call me Deborah if it doesn't also work no matter what ratios you use." He adds, "I tend toward around 4 parts gin to one part each of sweet vermouth and Campari".

Not Deborah but Alice Lascelles adds in her Ten Cocktails, "if you're feeling really cocky, you can even alter the balance of the formula without putting yourself in mortal danger - just make sure you always observe that holy trinity of earthy/spicy (vermouth), bittersweet/syrupy (Campari or similar Italian bitter) and strong/clean gin, vodka or even blanco tequila can work - although gin is always best, I think."

Some misguided folk call for the Negroni to be shaken but it should, of course, be stirred, although there is something about this no-nonsense drink that doesn't suit fussing about with mixing glasses and strainers, so I prefer the ingredients assembled and mixed directly over ice in the glass in which it is to be served.

Some choose to serve Negronis straight-up in a chilled coupe, in which case it's essential to give this noble drink a good stir with ice to provide enough dilution to open up its many botanicals.

Always garnish a Negroni with an orange twist or slice, the use of a lemon is a heinous crime.

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Variant:

Americano; Milano Torino; Christmas Negroni

History:

Negroni cocktail history and recipe variations

Nutrition:

One serving of Negroni Cocktail contains 183 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
21.57% alc./vol. (21.57° proof)
19.4 grams of pure alcohol

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Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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John Taylor

19th May at 10:33

Starting off with more sophisticated cocktails (over basic two ingredient martinis etc) I gave this one a go with budget ingredients. Oxford Arms gin, Luxardo aperitivo and Martini rosso - but with and without lemon zest (all I had) - tasted good to me, nothing jarring, I can see why this "holy trinity" is a classic :-)

Romina

2nd April at 02:37

I do equal parts Campari-Cocchi Torino-Beefeater London Dry + Orange oils. Lovely!

Miguel Perales

31st March at 21:31

Can't beat a classic. I will however do 1.5 ounces/45 mls of each when I make it, just because I have to have just a little more of it :)

Thierry Vandevelde

9th February at 12:37

"Pipi de bon dieu" is an old french adage. It might translate as "god's pee". This is what this drink is for me.

John CARR

30th November 2024 at 13:27

The intense bitter-sweetness of Campari induces the common experience of quasi existential love-hate in this drink. Hence the ad infinitum variations, as folk address their reactions thereto. My suggestion is simple: increase the gin to 45/1.5 and all else will become clear.

Patrick Brady

5th January at 00:49

Other options, to keep the sweetness levels of the original ratio, are to swap a fraction of Campari with Aperol, or just build everything over cubed ice in a glass to accelerate dilution.

Replacing all of the Campari with Aperol does not, in my opinion, yield a Negroni. The result is incredibly tame with little bite.

Jim G

13th November 2024 at 01:47

Have grown to really like this and several variations. Suze makes a slightly less bitter drink without completely waving the white flag like Aperol. I was surprised that most places in the Italian Alps were not really serving this. Aperol spritz however seamed to be in everyone's hand and Genepy and Grappa also flowed free. But Milano, of course, had me covered.

Egg McKenzie

10th November 2024 at 19:14

this shit is lit beyond belief. we're in the territory of the gods here. i once slammed back 8 of these in milan and you still couldn't tell me it was enough.

Patrick Brady

5th January at 00:51

Were you still thinking that the next morning? ;)

1 reply

Ryan Harrold

8th September 2024 at 12:46

A Negroni is one cocktail that I have a love hate relationship with, due to me not liking too much Campari or other red bitter liqueurs in cocktails like a Negroni, which is what this cocktail has, however making a Negroni with 15ml or 1/2 fl oz instead of using 30ml or 1 fl oz, makes this cocktail more palatable for my tastes, which gives me a better understanding as to why a Negroni is such a beloved cocktail by others

John CARR

3rd October 2024 at 13:49

You might also like to try the Charlie Pie: 40ml gin, 30 sweet vermouth, 10 Campari, lemon twist. Arguably had an equally estimable heritage, and a completely different balance.

1 reply

I D

18th September 2024 at 10:25

I have similar thoughts about Campari. My solution is to use equal parts of Aperol and Campari (to total the same volume as just Campari).

1 reply

Mark

21st August 2024 at 04:14

First time I tried this I could barely finish the drink, now I quaff it with pleasure. Indeed one hell of an acquired taste

Egg McKenzie

10th November 2024 at 19:15

i drank this straight from the womb it wasn't even a problem.

Patrick Brady

4th July 2024 at 22:25

Taking a break from sampling rums for this reliable way to empty a bottle of Campari. Usually use Carpano but had Martini Rosso to hand. Seems a touch more herbal? You have to try this. The bitterness can be an acquired taste but you can work up starting with an Enzoni Cocktail (vermouth replaced with lemon juice, sugar and some muddled grapes) or the simplicity of a Garibaldi (orange juice + Campari).

Speaking of rum, the Jungle Bird also mixes Campari with pineapple juice, lime and dark rum.