Want to make the best Negroni? What Gin and what Vermouth to use? In what proportions? And what glass should you serve it in? Read bellow for all the answers!
I really can't say enough about this cocktail. From the moment I first tasted a Negroni it's very hard for me to order another drink.
Of course there other great cocktails out there like the classic Martini or the white Russian but the appeal of a classic Negroni served in an old fashioned glass with it's gorgeous red hues and the delicious contrasting flavors is something I just can't resist.
But let's start from the beginning.
The history of Negroni and its origins.
The story has it that the Negroni was born in 1919 when an Italian Count named Camillo Negroni asked a bartender to make him a stronger Americano. Americano is a cocktail made with Campari, sweet Vermouth and soda water. The bartender replaced the soda water with Gin (wise choice!) and the Negroni cocktail was born.
However others dispute that this delicious drink is of French origin. If you're interested in more details about the story of Negroni you can read this article from diffordsguide.com.
The Ingredients of Negroni and the proportions
The classic recipe has just three ingredients in equal ratios:
- 1 part Gin
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet Vermouth
Isn't this the simplest recipe ever? Also, you'll need to add half a slice of orange (orange twist) or a small piece of orange peel and some ice cubes for the necessary dilution (and please, never use lemon instead of orange!)
For my personal taste, the above proportions will give you the perfect balance between the sweetness of the vermouth, the bitterness of the Campari and the punch of the Gin.
However, if you like things on the sweet side or if you find the taste of Campari difficult to get acquired to, then you may want to change the ratios a bit and decrease the amount of Campari.
On the other hand, if you like your drink less bitter but also less rich in a way that the botanicals of the Gin have more space to shine, then you'll probably want to keep the Campari and the Vermouth in the same ratio and double the amount of Gin.
So for a sweeter drink you can try:
- 1 part Gin
- 1 part sweet Vermouth
- ½ part Campari
For a drink that favors the flavors of Gin you can try:
- 2 parts Gin
- 1 part sweet Vermouth
- 1 part Campari
How to make a Negroni cocktail
And now for the most fun part, which is making a Negroni.
Though you can use a mixing glass, I find it easier (and maybe tastier) to pour the ingredients directly over ice inside the serving glass. After that, all you have to do is stir it in order to chill the drink and provide enough dilution so that the many botanicals have space to shine.
Best Gin for Negroni
The best Gin for Negronis is a London Dry style Gin because it has juniper as the predominant botanical which pairs perfectly with the Campari and the Vermouth. The more modern style Gins lack this juniper flavor and are not generally recommended for this cocktail.
And remember, London Dry is just the style of Gin, it doesn't mean it has to come from London.
Some Gins of this style are:
- Tanqueray (botanicals: juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, and licorice).
- Tanqueray No. 10 (botanicals: juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica, licorice, fresh white grapefruit, fresh lime, fresh orange and chamomile flowers).
- Bombay Sapphire (botanicals: juniper berries, coriander seeds, liquorice root, almonds, lemon peel, cassia bark, orris root, angelica root, cubeb berries, grains of paradise).
- Beefeater London Dry (botanicals: juniper, Seville orange peel, lemon peel, angelica root and seed, coriander seed, orris root, liquorice root and almond).
- The botanist 22 (botanicals: apple mint, chamomile, creeping thistle, downy birch, elder, gorse, hawthorn, heather, juniper, lady's bedstraw, lemon balm, meadowsweet, mugwort, red clover, spear mint, sweet cicely, bog myrtle, tansy, wild thyme, water mint, white clover, wood sage)
Decanter.com has an article about the best gins for the best Gins for Negronis if you want to read more on the subject.
The Vermouth
Most people believe Vermouth is a spirit but it actually is a fortified wine (I talk more about fortified wines at the end of this Mediterranean sweet wines article). That's why once you open it, you have to keep it in the fridge and consume it within 1-3 months. And remember you can also use some when making Spanish Sangria!
To be classified as Vermouth the wine must contain extracts from the Artemisia genus of plants. The artemisia extract offers bitterness which balances the sweetness of the wine.
Probably the most known and easy to find Vermouth for Negroni is Martini Rosso. Other Vermouths are Cocchi Torino, Cinzano and Dolin rouge. Vinepair has an article about 9 sweet vermouths for your cocktails that you may like.
The best glass to serve a Negroni
The old fashioned glass also known as lowball glass or rocks glass is the perfect glass for Negroni. These short glasses typically range between 6 to 10 ounces (180 – 300 ml) and are ideal for straight liquors on the rocks or for serving a whiskey neat.
What does it taste like?
It's not easy to describe the taste of a Negroni because it has different things going on which somehow blend together in a gorgeous way. Some say it is an an acquired taste, but I believe it's one of the most iconic cocktails ever made.
It's kind of bitter and dry but very tasty, it's rich and sweet from the Vermouth and balanced by the bittersweet Campari. The Juniper flavor pairs perfectly with the citrus notes and after the first sip it just asks you to take another one. I'm already tempted to go and fix me one right now!
And don't underestimate the importance of dilution. As the ice melts, you'll notice that the taste changes dramatically.
How do you make a Negroni less bitter?
Use less Campari. Campari has a strong character and can easily overpower the rest of the ingredients in the cocktails it is added to. So, to make a Negroni less bitter, the answer is to use less Campari. An example is to use 2 parts Gin, 2 parts sweet vermouth and 1 part Campari.
Another solution is to replace Campari with Aperol.
How many calories are in a Negroni
One negroni cocktail made with 1 oz (30 ml) of each ingredient has 186 calories.
If you want to make it with different quantities you can use this easy recipe nutrition calculator from verywellfit.com to calculate the calories for your drink (or any other recipe!).
Recipe
Negroni - the simplest recipe for the best cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz (30 ml) Gin
- 1 oz (30 ml) Campari
- 1 oz (30 ml) sweet Vermouth
For serving:
- ice
- orange slice
Instructions
- Fill an old fashioned glass with a large piece of ice or 4-5 large ice cubes.
- Pour the Gin, the Campari and the sweet Vermouth inside the glass and stir gently until combined and chilled.
- Add the orange twist and serve immediately.
Notes
- 1 oz is about 2 tablespoons/ 30 grams
Sweet Vermouths: Martini Rosso, Cocchi Torino, Cinzano.
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Nutrition
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Anastasis
Love it! Recipe and article!
Makos
Thank you!