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Six Cylinder
A bittersweet Negroni-like aperitivo or digestivo with pleasing, subtle, rich cherry notes. This cocktail runs so much better on high-octane Navy strength...
Chris Garner
12th April at 21:50
Harry of Harry’s New York Bar in Pair wrote this in his book Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails
13th April at 08:28
Many thanks, Chris. I've added this, and all I can find on the history to what I already had. Hopefully, a French speaker will have more luck than me searching online archives of 1928 Parian newspapers.
29th January at 03:45
Fabulous! Found the bitterness from the Campari, Byrrh, and the vermouths effectively balanced the cherry sweet center from Luxardo's Cherry Sangue Morlacco. And just enough gin. Wouldn't change a thing.♡
26th April at 03:57
Agree that Byrrh works well in this and that the full complement of Campari is appropriate given the number of other sweet ingredients. A touch more gin if you don't have "Navy strength." I also agree on your assessment (below) of the Complex Tipperary.
10th March at 13:40
Revisiting this one Calvin, and very much agree. I may have ‘accidentally’ added some juice from the cherry jar, but then needed a splash more gin to dry it. The full Campari measure adds really nice bitterness to balance the glass.
29th March 2025 at 16:01
I followed the suggestions btl to cut half the Campari with 10ml Aperol. The result included the Campari taste but without the bitterness. Cherry was to the fore, over a herbal Dubonnet base. I would do this again.
btw: I tried this after thoroughly enjoying the rather heftier Commedia all'Italiana (equal parts Campari & Aperol & rosso vermouth, with grappa and maraschino).
[Six Cylinder]
btw: I tried this after thoroughly enjoying the rather heftier Commedia all'Italiana (equal parts Campari & Aperol & rosso vermouth, with grappa and maraschino).
[Six Cylinder]
26th January 2025 at 17:54
Wholeheartedly agree on splitting Campari and Aperol. If you do that you'll get an interesting bittersweet cocktail dominated by cherry.
29th October 2024 at 13:42
Also good bumping up the gin to 30ml, which may overcome reservations re excessive sweetness/Campari-ness.
26th April at 03:49
No "Navy strength" gin so I snuck the Tanqueray up to 3/4 oz (22.5 ml), which was enough. No reason to cut back on the Campari; the bitterness and "extra" ingredients makes this a serious, cherry fruit-forward Negroni variant. I used Byrrh, which worked quite well with the gin & Campari. Used Cocchi Extra Dry & Storico rosso, but I'm thinking a little more bitterness from Dopo Teatro instead of Storico might work well, too. There's more going on here than in a Negroni; I can see why it won a competition way back in 1928.
15th October 2024 at 12:52
Suped up Negroni meets cherry Martinez. On the sweet side for me so I’d def be reserving for dessert, maybe with a rich chocolate mousse. I ended up with eight cylinders due to low bottles of Campari and Dubonnet. I think deyan’s suggestion of splitting the Campari half with Aperol is a good one.
The cherry richness comes through beautifully.
The cherry richness comes through beautifully.
18th January 2024 at 23:34
Any thoughts about a sub for the Dubonnet? Punt e Mes? Noilly Prat? Pimm's #1? Maybe Aperol? ...or must I wait until I get my hands onto the real McCoy?
19th January 2024 at 06:50
St Raphael Le Quina Rouge perhaps.
13th December 2023 at 11:27
This is an enchanting and complex palette. I kindly recommend mellowing down the Campari: split it to 10 ml Aperol & 10 ml Campari. So Mediterranean.
9th December 2023 at 16:46
Campari overly dominates. Tried sweetening with juice from cherry jar but still too bitter.
8th December 2023 at 18:48
Deep red fruit with a spear of sharp bitter Campari. I made the original and Simon’s suited me best. Much more robust ;-)