Bitter and aperitivo · Gin · IBA official
Three bottles, equal measures, one big ice cube. The first sip is bitter orange and herbs, then the vermouth brings dried fruit and spice and the gin cuts through with juniper. Few drinks give so much for so little effort.
1 oz
London dry gin
1 oz
Campari
1 oz
sweet vermouth a rich Italian rosso
Garnish: Orange twist · Ice: One large cube
Negroni
Bittersweet and herbal with bitter orange, juniper and dried fruit. Strong, silky and long in the finish.
The most widely told story places the birth of the Negroni in Florence around 1919, at the Caffè Casoni on Via de' Tornabuoni. Count Camillo Negroni is said to have asked bartender Fosco Scarselli to strengthen his usual Americano, a mix of Campari, sweet vermouth and soda water, by replacing the soda with gin. The orange garnish, instead of the Americano's lemon, marked the new drink. Some details of this account, including the count's biography, have been questioned, but it remains the accepted origin story.
The Negroni stayed an Italian aperitivo favorite for decades before becoming a worldwide bartender's darling in the 2000s and 2010s, inspiring countless twists. The International Bartenders Association lists it among its Unforgettables.
Quite strong: it contains only spirit, liqueur and fortified wine, so expect roughly 24 % ABV in the glass after dilution.
Yes. London dry gin is classic, but a more citrusy or herbal gin changes the character nicely.
Stirred. Shaking clouds the drink and makes it frothy.
The perfect sound
Bittersweet aperitivo hour in Florence.
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