NEGRONI DISTILLERY COCKTAIL DEMO
How to make the best negronis
Confused by the image above? You might be thinking ‘that doesn’t look like a negroni made with three equal part gin, sweet vermouth and Campari’. Well you’d be correct in your thinking but during our latest distillery cocktail demo all about the negroni cocktail we thought we’d shake things up a bit – quite literally! So instead of presenting the classic negroni, which to be honest can be a marmite cocktail, you either love them or hate them, we investigated changing the ingredient ratios, switching vermouths, trying alternative aperitifs and adding a fourth ingredient.
The classic negroni
Our usual go-to three equal part negroni is Campfire Cask Aged Gin with Campari and Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Red Vermouth, a large cube of ice and an orange peel garnish. This is delicious but why not try the three new recipes below and add enjoy a negroni in a slightly different way!
Old Bold Negroni
For the Old Bold Negroni we keep the Campari and Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Red Vermouth as in the classic negroni but we switch out the Campfire Cask Aged Gin for Campfire Old Tom Gin. We also double up on the gin measure. The sweetness from the Old Tom gin counterbalances the bitterness of the Campari and softens out the flavour.
Ingredients
50ml Campfire Old Tom Gin
25ml Campari
25ml Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Red Vermouth
Large ice cube
Orange peel garnish
Recipe
Add ice to a rocks glass and measure out the Campfire Old Tom Gin, Campari and vermouth. Stir gently to mix and chill. Add the orange garnish! Simple as that!
Cynar is new to me, we thoroughly enjoyed ‘the show’ (as one of the team members called the demo) so thanks to Ben, Kate and the team.
Terry
The Yard
This version of a negroni was first made for Ben by the team at The Yard cocktail bar on Holywell Hill in St Albans. This one differs because the aperitif is spilt into two parts – Campari and Cynar. Cynar is another bitter aperitif made from 13 herbs and plants where the predominant plant is artichoke. I think everyone at the cocktail demo made the same face we did when we first heard this! You’ll be impressed to know this was voted the favourite of the three negronis during the cocktail demo!
Ingredients
25ml Campfire Cask Aged Gin
12.5ml Campari
12.5ml Cynar
25ml Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Red Vermouth
Ice
Lemon peel for garnish
Recipe
Add all the ingredients except the lemon peel to a mixing glass and stir until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Express the oils from the lemon peel over the negroni.
Smith & Rivers Negroni
We named this version of a negroni after David T Smith and Keli Rivers who co-authored a book on negroni recipes. Our Campfire Navy Strength Gin features in the book in the Negroni Float. Oh yes, a negroni with the addition of cola, ice cream and sprinkles! A real flavour sensation! We decided to tame it down a bit and our version is more akin to an Alexander.
Ingredients
25ml Campfire Navy Strength Gin
25ml Campari
25ml Regal Rogue Red Vermouth
75ml Single cream
Ice
Fresh cherries for garnish
Recipe
Add all ingredients except the cream and cherries to a mixing glass. Stir to chill. Strain into a cocktail shaker and add the cream. Dry shake to aerate. Pour into a pre-chilled glass and decorate with the cherry.
