New takes on the Negroni

Cocktails, for all their pleasures, rarely become memes. And yet, a variant of the Negroni did that last year, during the press tour for the Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon.

When Olivia Cooke asked her co-star, Emma D’Arcy, what their favorite summer drink is, they replied: “Negroni sbagliato,” before flirtatiously adding, “with Prosecco in it.” Cooke’s response — “Ooh, stunning!” — turned the charming interaction into a viral moment. Bars were subsequently inundated with orders for them.

For those unfamiliar, the Negroni is a classic Italian summer cocktail consisting of equal parts of gin (I recommend Bombay Sapphire), Campari and sweet vermouth (preferably Martini & Rossi). A dash of orange aromatic bitters is also a nice touch. Stir with ice for no longer than eight seconds and serve in a rocks glass over ice. You can garnish with either an orange slice or the preferred orange twist. Contrary to its bright, colorful look, however, the Negroni’s sweetness is a distinctly bitter kind — refreshing, but biting. While I was working at a cocktail bar, a new waiter — who hadn’t tried the drink — recommended the Negroni based on its look to a customer who had asked for a “fruity cocktail.” The Negroni was promptly returned and replaced with a Strawberry Daquiri.

Though the classic recipe has never been more popular, there’s a whole world of wonderful variations to explore, most of which are sorely underappreciated.

The aforementioned sbagliato leaves out the gin and tops up with prosecco, lending to a bubbly, less alcoholic, easy-drinking manner. Death & Co’s Kingston Negroni swaps gin for Smith & Cross Overproof Jamaican rum, de-emphasizing the Campari flavor and recasting rum in a different context to its usual pairings. Then there is the White Negroni, which replaces the sweet vermouth with Lillet Blanc, and bitter Campari with gentian liqueur (most often Suze) and is garnished with a grapefruit twist. The resulting drink looks and tastes lighter than the original Negroni, but has a similar refreshing, bitter taste. I personally prefer it.

Finally — for a completely different mouth-feel, but similar flavor — try the Negroni Sour. Reduce the Campari by a quarter, add one part lemon juice, half part orange juice, and one egg-white, and then shake vigorously, double-straining into a rocks glass over ice.

Today’s recommended recipe is not as radical a departure from the original, but still elevates it to something more interesting. Made by a former mixologist colleague of mine, Lucy’s spin adds a more complex flavor to the Negroni, slightly toning down the bitterness, underlining its inherent sweetness and adding a rich, herbaceous quality. If making this at home, you can use just one gin, but the two give a balanced flavor. Or visit the bar at the Kimpton Blythswood Square, in Glasgow, Scotland, to try it yourself.

Lucy Greenwood’s Negroni Italiana

• 15ml Cynar
• 15ml Campari
• 25ml Old Tom gin
• 10ml Antica Formula vermouth
• 10ml Four Pillars Shiraz gin

Make just as you would the classic recipe:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass
2. Stir with ice for no longer than eight seconds
3. Strain into a rocks glass, over fresh ice
4. Garnish with an orange twist