Recent discussions on Difford’s Guide

Well, this is delicious!

Campari really sweet? You must be a very bitter man.

This is a killer..I've made many riffs similar to this one.

I made a variant of this influenced by a drink we tried at MAP Maison Dalston, and it was surprisingly excellent:

60ml Tequila Blanco
25ml Lime Juice
~12.5ml Monin Hibiscus Syrup
2 dashes Malvern Chilli Bitters

Shaken with ice and strained into a salt rimmed glass.

Aimed to tone down the sweetness somewhat; the hibiscus still came through, but tempered by the chilli and salt.

Campari and red vermouth in the original Negroni are really sweet

I can see why people say this is simple but on a baking hot summer day we rather liked it. Reposado comes through well, grapefruit and aperol blend nicely. Best with a lot of ice in a tall thin Collins.

Lovely summer tipple. And a very forgiving recipe - I’ve done a few shaken rather than blended, used 3-year old rum, adjusted the sugar, different mint… whatever the tweaks it still works brilliantly.

Just discovered this wonderful Watermelon Liqueur (Giffard) which tastes so similar to the actual fruit. I used Fevertree Mexican Lime Soda which is probably less sweet than Sprite, but is maybe a good bet for those happy with a more tart tipple. The first sip immediately conjured up a sense of being on a lounger by a pool in an exotic country! The attractive cocktail colour is a softer shade of real watermelon flesh. This is one I will be introducing friends to.

Well that was lovely. I’ve accidentally made variations of this when messing around, some of my fav ingredients in this. I dialled up everything by 10 ml but left the maple syrup as it was, absolutely smashing. And my wife Debs (seriously) is not listening to the instruction!

Im gonna be honest, cant taste the chili or the elderflower.. the lemon juice takes over so much that it just tastes like a Lemon Drop to me! Burt- agreat way to use up ur elderflower syrup nontheless. Maybe less lemon

Tried it with Jägermeister Orange which creates a light and more summery drink. In the tradition of Gaz Regan, a full 30ml of gin helps. Is it still a negroni…who knows?

Very good, but slightly too vermouth-forward for my taste.

Who would have thought that such a simple addition would breathe new life into this cocktail ?

I made this with Gooderham and Worts Whiskey (originally distilled in Toronto). A nice drink. I’ve also tried it on a rock like an Old Fashioned. Lately I’ve been adding 2 drops of saline solution and 1 drop of msg solution which changes the cocktail subtly (especially with a higher proof rye like Sazerac 100).

I should have referred to 2:1:1 proportions as "Boulevardier style" since Valentinos are nominally 4:1:1, which is quite lean. I finally got some Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Rubino Vermouth (while traveling in Portland Oregon!) and was able to pair it with their Riserva Speciale Bitter in an Independence Day Celebration using Braastad VSOP. What a combo: just the right balance of sweet and bitter with neither showing to excess, and the complexity of the vermouth and the bitter pair up like they were meant to be combined this way. Don't know if this was how D'Ercole originally designed it but this version alone merits another half star.

Did make this again, this time with Giffard Sirop Orgeat (so much better than B G Reynolds. I can taste the almond) and lime juice. Still fabulous! No soda, no ice.

Good call out. I also noticed this drink is more susceptible to dilution than many (also seems to fill a regular collins glass quite easily). Great on pebble ice though.

This was my first cocktail using the new Probitas Green Label (57% ABV) and wow is it a perfect match for this tasty drink.... sorry Pusser's. This is just juice, rum and ango but it is Tiki all day. Orange and cranberry are hard enough to balance on their own, but throwing both into a cocktail takes guts I don't have. I considered adding pimento because natural fruit allies: nope, doesn't need it. Great juicy cocktail perfectly spiced (can go heavy with the bitters). Try it with a rum that won't shout over the drink but still contribute.... high recommend on Probe Green.

Very much enjoyed, esp. after I reduced lemon juice to 15 ml. 20 ml makes it a tad too sharp.

Maybe try it with brown butter fat wash. Actually quite good

Since hubby is not a big whiskey guy, I was pleased to see a rum drink using Fee Bros new browned butter fat wash. Used Probitas and cut the Clement with some Planteray, still plenty funky. The first sip elicited a "wow", but then settled to a pleasing cocktail. We live in Rochester, NY, home of Fee Bros, so kudos to them!

Excellent drink. I used Ancho Reyes, subbed agave syrup for the demerara and upped the lime to 20mL and it's wonderfully balanced.

An absolute go-to for everyone who's gotten too used to the ordinary negroni. Made this with Plymouth Sloe Gin and Lustau Rosé and it was an absolute treat. Very first moment is just your usual negroni and then the plummy notes of the sloe gin hit your palate and transform the thing entirely. Also good call to use Rose Vermouth instead of Rosso as the Sloe Gin itself adds quite some dark heavy thick sweet notes already

Yes I just have and it tastes squally wonderful! Also, I served it in a rocks glass over one large cube, as I am personally not a big fan of ice-filled Collins glass.