Negroni

I've enjoyed Negronis for 40 years and have learned that ONE is enough!
You can make them with gin OR vodka, lemon twists or orange twists or do something exotic with a match and the orange twist to release the orange oil onto the surface of the drink.
The color and the flavor are seductive. The hangover from more than one is not.

I have also made this with Aperol in place of the Campari...a bit sweeter and not as bitter. But for a really interesting drink replace the gin with mescal, nice and smoky. It may not sound good, but it really is fantastic.

If you would rather not get loaded after just one of these, make the phony Negroni, i.e. everything but the gin. Tastes great and leaves you sober enough to continue cooking.

Can't emphasize the importance of dilution with this cocktail. I suggest stirring for an absolute minimum of 60 seconds. The mouthfeel is improved, the bitterness is less cutting, and the orange (flamed or not) peeks out from behind the Campari. One of my favorite classics.

I actually like my Negroni with a splash of soda. I also had one once made with Aperol; the restaurant was out of Campari(!) It was quite good!

Or substitute bourbon for gin and make a Boulevardier, an even better drink.

All the recommendations allow you to tailor the Negroni to your own taste which is great but I found using Antica Carpano Vermouth the game changer. Less bitter-decrease the Campari or use Aperol. Try this-add a bit of Blood Orange Cointreau (remember the orange twist is there for a reason).

I call this a grapefruit negroni: skip the (often cloying) sweet vermouth and use grapefruit juice instead. Fresh is best, but there are no sugar added versions too. So refreshing! No need for bitters. I tend to do equal parts Campari and gin with two parts juice. Shaken and served up! Salute!

Lived in Milan for 6 years, and we were introduced early on to the Negroni Sbagliato ("mistaken Negroni") , simply ordered as a "sbagliato" . It uses spumante brut instead of gin. Check it out in the Campari web site. Now back in Spain, I often prepare it with Cava brut (I guess that would qualify as "doppio sbagliato" :-))

A lovely, simple cocktail for a summer's afternoon. Best thing here is the orange twist, squeezed over the freshly poured drink. Maybe one dash of orange bitters.

If you use half sweet and half dry vermouth, it is a negroni Perfect. It is perfect!

One of my favorites. I ordered one in a restaurant in Trastevere, Rome and the waiter goes, "Ooo! STRONG". I just shrugged and nodded my head, hey I've had plenty of these. Well the drink came in an 8oz water glass! Needless to say I didn't finish the thing and moved on to wine with dinner. My favorite variation is the Negronino - 1 part Gin, 1 part Carpano Antica Vermouth, 1/2 part Campari, 1/2 part (plus spash) of Amaro Nonino. Add twist

I’ve been drinking Negroni for the past 25 years. For me the best is with Cinzano sweet vermouth and Beefeater gin,( and the Campari of course) in a short glass with an orange twist, classic and delicious.

PS, I tried your suggestion for a Grapefruit Negroni and loved it, but thought it needed just a little something more. So I squeezed a generous slice of fresh orange into it, and it was perfect. This will be my go to here in Palm Springs, CA, with its abundance of fresh citrus.

I agree! It's lighter and a great summer version. With a splash of soda it's call an Americano.