Nothing says summer sunset like a chilled, sophisticated and delicious Negroni cocktail. It's got a refreshing bitter bite, a citrus sparkle from fresh orange, and a heady blend of aromatics from the gin and sweet vermouth that never fails to refresh before dinner.The Negroni is built on a platform of three complex flavor families, one of which is bitterness contributed by Campari. I'm a big fan of bitter liqueurs like Campari, Cinzano, and Cynar. Bitter liqueurs are described more fully in this post, but basically, they're alcohols steeped with enigmatic herbal blends. The recipes are often closely-held secrets (as it is for Campari) and bitters were often originally developed for medicinal purposes or digestive aids.
The Negroni
This classic gin cocktail is bursting with infused herbal flavors. Comprising gin, Campari and red vermouth (all infused alcohols, though sweet–or red–vermouth is infused wine), the Negroni's bursting with resinous juniper berry, caraway, and all of the mysterious herbs secreted into the proprietary gin, Campari and vermouth recipes.
Which Gin?
Gin comes in several styles, but because the Negroni contains so many other herbal notes, I like to keep the gin classic and simple. It's not the starring ingredient the way it would be in a martini, so using a top quality, very distinct gin like Junipero, Lot 209 or Hendricks would be like using extra virgin olive oil for frying. If you're loaded with cash, go ahead and indulge, but I think you can go with a solid standby like Bombay Saphire. If you want to try this but can't stand gin, you can subsitute for vodka.
Which Red Vermouth?
When it comes to red vermouth, everyone thinks about that green bottle with the old school label. Of course, I'm referring to Martini & Rossi. But I think this brand is the weakest link. The secret to a superb Negroni is to switch up the sweet vermouth for Punt E Mes (pictured above). Punt E Mes is chocately and syrupy with a dense mouthfeel and dark, rich flavor and color. Unlike Martini & Rossi, you can't see through Punt E Mes when you hold it up to the light. It's about $20, and you can find it in specialty wine shops or online.
The Negroni Recipe
1.5 oz Gin
1.5 oz Vermouth
1.5 oz Punt E Mes
Shake over cracked ice and serve in a chilled tumbler over more cracked ice with an orange wheel as garnish.
The person holding the Punt E Mes in your picture only seems to have four fingers. That said, have you tried making a Manhattan with it too?
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet! But hell ya!
ReplyDeleteYikes! By replacing the vermouth with the Punt e Mes you are doubling down on the bitter component in a cocktail that many people already find far too bitter to enjoy. Punt e Mes has much more in common with an aperitivo amaro like Campari or Cynar than it does with a traditional Italian vermouth. I use it sometimes in a Negroni too - but as a replacement for the Campari, not the vermouth. It produces a less bitter cocktail for a neophyte drinker or someone who is especially sensitive to bitter flavors. Aperol is another good less-bitter Campari substitute that shares Campari's bright red color. As for my own tastes, my favorite recipe is 1.5oz Bombay Sapphire or Plymouth gin, 1.5oz Cinzano or Carpano Antica vermouth, and 1oz Campari.
ReplyDeleteYou are 100% right... This cocktail is pungent. After further testing and friend reviews, I have to say that a better cocktail can be had by switching the Campari, not the vermouth. I'm going to amend the posting.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoy this cocktail..Perhaps one of the easiest cocktails to make, but definitely one of the tastiest
ReplyDeleteMy Recipe:
1 PART Beefeater Gin
1 PART Campari
1 PART Italian Sweet Vermouth
METHOD Build ingredients, over ice, in a rocks glass and stir. Garnish with an orange wedge.
Awesome Video Tutorial on the cocktail: http://www.beefeatergin.com/mixology/video.php?video=Negroni