Luca Viviani

It's funny because when I was a university student I had only a vague idea that a Negroni was equal parts Campari, gin and Vermouth. I did not know which vermouth exactly, and I couldn't be bothered to check, so I would often just make it with Martini bianco (commonly found in Italian supermarkets) and thought it was great.
Now my taste is a bit more refined and I do prefer the original version. Still, this combination reminds me of when I was young and foolish!

Definitely smoky, as the name suggests, but not overly so and very well balanced overall. Will add it to the list of light aperitivo servings.

I had high hopes for this cocktail, which I made with Cynar 70 proof. However, I found it too tart and citrusy. Will try tuning down bitters next time. I only have Angostura Orange Bitters, that I am not too fond of. I wonder if more premium bitters would have made a better cocktail.

If you happen to have friends over for aperitivo, I suggest serving regular Negronis mixed with a few of these on the same tray. The bright red and light blue of the two look just stunning together and you'll be sure to make an impression.
I found the result a bit too sweet, I will try fully replacing bianco vermouth with extra dry next time.