A Bartender's Tips For Making a Classic Negroni

The Negroni has seen lots of evolution over the last century, but here’s how to make a classic one!

Like many cocktails (and recipes in general) from Italy, the origin story for the Negroni is shrouded with mystery. The widely-told tale is that the drink came to be at a bar in Florence called Caffe Casoni in 1919. Allegedly, a man named Camillo Negroni asked the bartender for an Americano, but wanted the soda water to be replaced with gin. The bartender, Forsco Scarselli, complied with the request and added a slice of orange to the drink as opposed to the lemon garnish that usually came with an Americano. Before long, the drink seemed to take off and skyrocket in popularity – and everyone was ordering a “Negroni”!

Since 1919, the Negroni has established itself as a very popular classic cocktail. There are now tons of variations on the drink – like one of our favorites, the Negroni Sbagliato -which gives it a celebratory spin with Prosecco – but there is something to be said about the simplicity of the original. The recipe for a Negroni is so easy to remember: equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth and gin. Just an ounce of each liqueur and a strip of orange zest are the composition of this Italian sipper! And, according to Justin Shane, giving it 30 stirs on the rocks creates the perfect dilution and frosty factor.

The Negroni is known as an “aperitivo,” and if you’ve followed us for long enough on Giadzy, you certainly know the definition! It’s the type of drink you have before a meal, and it’s meant to stimulate the appetite and get your palate ready for a meal… and, like Dina mentioned, it might just get you a bit tipsy too. Like the Negroni, most aperetivos tend to be on the dry, bitter side – a flavor that might be an acquired taste to some, but it’s beloved by Italians. For those who prefer a sweeter cocktail, go ahead and squeeze a bit of the fresh orange juice into the drink to lighten it up – we won’t tell!