Classic Negroni Cocktail Recipe

The Classic Negroni Cocktail is a refreshingly bittersweet drink with strong hints of citrus and herby undertones. The perfect all-season drink, and so easy to make with just three ingredients! Equal parts Campari, gin, and vermouth.

What Is a Negroni?

If you’re not familiar with this classic Italian cocktail, you’re in for a treat. The Negroni has been around for eons, and while the history of how it came about is a bit uncertain, one thing is clear - it’s a worldwide favorite. Here’s why this negroni cocktail recipe is so popular:

• The negroni drink is a refreshingly sweet, but bitter drink made of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Its three-part ingredients make it a cinch to remember when you’re on the hunt for an easy batch cocktail.
• The negroni’s bright ruby red color makes it feel glamorous and sophisticated.
• It’s a classic Italian cocktail - you can feel proud of yourself that you’re drinking something that’s on trend, but that also holds a solid place in history
• The Negroni drink is not too sweet and has a touch of herbiness thanks to the addition of Campari. 
• It’s thought that Negronis were originally developed as an aperitif, which makes sense. The bitters in Camapri are thought to enhance digestion, making it a great pre-dinner drink.

What Does A Negroni Taste Like?

The negroni has quite an intense flavor. It has a strong citrusy orange taste with a hint of herbs and hints of grapefruit and juniper. It has a bitter edge to it, although the sweet vermouth helps to balance this out a bit. 

Negroni Ingredients

Besides their delicious taste, I love Negronis for their simplicity and minimal ingredients. This classic drink needs only 3 spirits in equal parts:

• Gin
  You’ll want to use a dry gin for negronis. The quality of the gin is important, but overall, the gin is overshadowed by the Campari and vermouth in this recipe. In other words, don’t skimp and buy bottom-of-the-barrel gin, but don’t feel like you have to go super high-end either.

• Campari
  Campari is a bitter liquor that has a famously top-secret family recipe. While no one really knows what’s in it, it has a fairly bitter taste with notes of herbs and citrus. It’s a beautiful ruby red in color - perfect for a punchy summer party or a classic holiday soiree.
  
  Campari is somewhat of an acquired taste, with its intensely bitter taste and undercurrents of herbs. In fact, according to this Guardian article, tends to taste good the third time you drink it.
  
  There are dozens of Campari cocktails out there, including the Campari spritz, the siesta, the Americano, and of course, the Negroni.

• Sweet Vermouth
  You’ll want to look for sweet vermouth here vs dry. Sweet vermouth has a mildly sweet flavor with a hint of spice and really helps to balance the herby bitterness of the Campari found in a Negroni.

How To Make A Classic Negroni Cocktail

The simplicity of making a Negroni may be one of the best things about it. Using only three ingredients, all in equal parts makes this an easy-to-remember cocktail.

1. Start by mixing equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari in a large mixing glass.
2. Using a spoon, gently stir the ingredients together. This is important! It’s not recommended to shake a negroni in a mixer with ice, as the ice will dilute the drink.
3. Add ice to a glass, and pour the mixed negroni into the glass. (Note - if you’re making a large batch of this cocktail, be sure to give it another stir after you add it to the individual glasses to ensure it’s well mixed.)
4. Garnish the glasses with an orange peel or a slice of orange to bring out the citrus notes in the Campari.

Variations on a Negroni

Over the years, many variations of the classic Negroni have come to be. Most of these involve swapping out the gin for another ingredient. Below are a few of the most popular Negroni variations

• Boulevardier - replace the 1 oz of gin with 1 ½ oz bourbon whiskey
• Americano - swap the gin for soda water
• Mezcal Negroni - swap the gin for mezcal
• Negroni Sbagliato -swap the gin for prosecco
• White Negroni - swap the sweet vermouth for lilet blanc and Campari for suze.

When and how to serve a Negroni

The Negroni is an all-season cocktail, given its citrusy refreshing taste which goes great in the summer, and its bitter herby notes that are warming in the winter. I prefer drinking Negroni’s in the winter months, due to its intense bitter notes and its festive bright red color.

Negroni’s are also a great cocktail to make when you need a large batch for a party. Make sure to give it a stir when poured over ice. 

Because it’s well-known as an aperitif, it’s a great pre-dinner drink and goes great with some munchy appetizers. The Negroni is a great cocktail to serve at the start of a dinner party and is actually great for a party since its simple ingredients and equal parts make it easy to batch. Just be sure to stir the drink again once poured into individual glasses over ice.

FAQs

What’s the alcohol level of a negroni?

Negroni’s have a strong alcohol level, clocking in at 24% ABV. These are a great aperitif to have before dinner, or as a nightcap, but be sure to enjoy them with some snacks!

Do any of these liqueurs need to be stored in the refrigerator? 

While gin is fine to store in your liqueur cabinet, any aperitif liqueur, including sweet vermouth and Campari belong in the fridge. 

How long do sweet vermouth and Campari last?

Sweet vermouth will last for about 2 months in the fridge while Campari should last for a full 12 months refrigerated.

Should a Negroni be stirred or shaken? 

The classic Negroni drink should be stirred, NOT shaken, then poured over ice.  Shaking the drink in ice will dilute the flavor.

Can I make a big batch of this drink for a party?

You can! Just be sure to stir the individual drink once you pour it over ice to ensure the ingredients are well combined.

Serving up Negroni's? Try one of these snacks to go with it!

• Spicy Caramel Popcorn
• Maple Roasted Walnuts
• Roasted Garlic With Rosemary Parmesan Bread
• Pear And Cheddar Hand Pies
• 5-Minute Pineapple Salsa And Tortilla Chips