Although the herbal flavors of the gin and the spiciness from the sweet vermouth are present, it’s really the Campari that boldly takes charge. What to Serve with Negronis Garnish and serve. Use a knife to remove a 1-inch wide strip of the orange peel. Squeeze the orange peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass and serve. Although most sources will tell you that a Negroni has 3 ingredients, a Negroni actually has 5 ingredients: gin, campari, vermouth, ice, and orange peel. Gin Simple drinks are all about quality. The better the gin, the better the drink. The easiest way to tell if a gin is high quality? Don’t buy the cheapest gin you can find. Try to invest in a mid-price range gin: the drink will only taste as good as the gin you invest in.

The glasses are wide enough to hold one large ice cube (so your drink never gets too watered down) and can fit up to eight ounces. Made with lead-free crystal, they’re an effortless way to elevate your serve, and ensure you’re giving your Negroni the respect it deserves. Dry white vermouth is used in martinis, like the Classic Martini, Dirty Martini and Cucumber Martini. There aren’t many things that have stayed so popular for 100 years. Heinz ketchup, corn flakes, and the Negroni are just about it.Orange zest (optional): An orange peel is gently squeezed, orange side-down over the drink just before serving. This releases some of the fragrant orange oils from the peel. The lovely citrus aroma highlights the citrus in the Campari. While optional, I urge you to try it once and taste the difference. Of the three, I really like Carpano Antica because it comes in a smaller bottle. Vermouth is a wine based liqueur, which means the moment you open it, it starts to degrade. You should keep vermouth in the fridge, and buy only a size you know you can finish in under a month. In true aperitif fashion, Negronis bring on an appetite. They’re best served with appetizers or small bites before the main course. Although the traditional Negroni recipe keeps it simple, there are those that feel bitters can provide a bit more subtly. Granted I haven’t explored this option (yet), but I’m sure that it won’t be long until my Negroni consumption has moved beyond the novice stage. Negroni Sbagliato

But if you prefer your Negroni on the more balanced side, my go-to Negroni recipe that I’ve been drinking for years is 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, 3/4oz Campari, and 1.5oz gin.

One of the key parts of a Negroni is the orange peel, which complements the campari and adds a bit of acid to offset the sweetness of the vermouth, especially if you took my advice and got a more premium vermouth, which tends to be sweeter. When I was younger, I skipped the orange peel (because you needed a fresh orange, which I never had) and the first time I tried it, I was amazed at the difference it made. For extra flair, you can squeeze, spritz, or even flame your orange peel, but I prefer the subtle purity of a clean orange peel myself. White Negroni: For a lighter, floral take, use Lillet Blanc instead of vermouth and Suze instead of Campari. It lends the same ambiance as smooth, velvet furniture and sets the scene for romantic evenings everywhere. With such an elevated attitude, the drink deserves to be served in a proper glass, and we have just the one to do the job. 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) Good for all occasions, the Negroni is particularly well suited to warmer weather. Traditionally an aperitif, the Negroni is served up in a martini glass with a coil of fresh orange skin as a garnish, it’s an eye-catching drink with its vibrant red color delivered by the Campari. The balance between the astringent nature of Gin and the sweet flavor of the Campari is really interesting; in fact I find that there’s a slightly medicinal quality that draws me in. My wife has often described her addiction to the medicinal quality of Diet Coke and I think that’s what’s hooked me too.

Serve: Optionally, add fresh ice. Squeeze a 1-inch wide orange peel over the glass to express its oils. Pinch and turn to make a twist and add to the drink as garnish. Cheers!

Serving

The invention of the Negroni goes to a count named Camillo Negroni who wanted something stronger than his usual drink, a Mi-To, named after the twin cities of Milano and Torino, later named the Americano because Americans loved it so much during WW1. A Mi-To was made up of campari, vermouth, and soda. To make the drink stronger, he subbed out the zero ABV soda for gin, and just like that, magic was made. Classic Negroni recipe

Sweet vermouth: Too many botanicals can drastically change the flavor profile, so go Italian with Cinzano Rosso or Carpano Antico.Campari tastes bitter, fruity, and spicy all at once. It’s infused with different herbs and fruits, part of a secret recipe. Fun fact: Campari was originally colored so brightly red due to a dye made of crushed insects! That’s no longer in the modern recipe, so it shouldn’t deter you from grabbing a bottle.