This year marks 100 years since the invention of the Negroni cocktail.
Like all the best things, the Negroni is deceptively simple: 3 equal parts of gin, red Vermouth, and Amaro. Said to have been invented at Caffè Casoni in Florence back in 1919 when Count Camilo Negroni asked the bartender to replace the soda water in his Americano cocktail (a blend of Amaro and red Vermouth topped off with soda) with gin to make it stronger. The barman garnished the new concoction with a slice of orange instead of the traditional lemon that went along with the Americano, a convention that remains to this day. The Nergoni is the perfect combination of power, sweetness, and bitterness, a true aperitif that stimulates the appetite and relaxes the mind like no other, the Negroni is the ultimate pre-dinner drink.
Count Camillo Negroni
The rebirth of gin in recent years and its transformation into one of the most exciting spirits categories has had the beneficial knock on effect of giving bartenders a wider palate of flavours to work with, and the world of Vermouth and Amaro has followed suit, meaning there are many delicious twists on this classic cocktail available today. The very first Negroni was made using Campari and Cinzano red Vermouth, but try the following contemporary twists for a new take on the classic:
The Complete English Negroni
So why not celebrate this centenarian cocktail by raising a glass – whatever the recipe – over the next few weeks!
