The Negroni

The Negroni is one of the most important aperitif cocktails.   The bitter smack on your taste buds just gets you ready to eat.

Classic Negroni

History
While the drink's origins are obscured by time, the most widely reported version is that it was invented in Florence, Italy in 1919, at Caffè Casoni, now called Caffè Giacosa. Count Camillo Negroni invented it by asking the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano, by adding gin rather than the normal soda water. The bartender also added an orange garnish rather than the typical lemon garnish of the Americano to signify that it was a different drink.


Variations.
The standard recipe is very well balanced; however there are some variants. The Negroni sbagliato ("wrong"in Italian) uses sparkling wine (e.g., prosecco) instead of gin. Negroski is a recipe with vodka again as substitute for gin. Punt e Mes Negroni instead replaces standard red vermouth with a specific, distinctively more bitter-tasted brand called Punt e Mes.


In a Modern Drinking World.
Now this drink in the modern world can be revamped and I have discovered two alternatives that are a real treat to the taste.   The first variation happened when a supplier instead of sending me orange bitters sent me Luxardo Bitter Orange liquor.   Instantly the decision was to send it back as who drinks bitter orange.  Yet after tasting the product the mind starts to think of tastes smells and uses for the product, a bitter cosmo aimed at a male audience to generic.  How about my old favourite the old fashioned, yet this really isnt doing anything to a drink that contains bitter orange  then alas what about substituting the Campari from the Negroni, after trying it doesnt really work but there is something there hiding ready to be released into the modern world. . .


In a rocks over ice add build 
1oz Gin
1oz Bitter Orange
1oz Campari
stir and add an orange wedge 

The Old Negroni Fashioned

Yet this didnt stop going back to the old fashioned idea again.  Instead lets play around with the products more. . . then it happened two beautiful classics merge into one powerful drink that leaves you saying wow - the same wow you get when you introduce an American to Ardbeg so I bring to you to try The Old Negroni Fashioned 


In a rocks glass muddle a sugar cube with a splash of soda water, then add 
1/ 2oz Campari
1/2oz Bitter Orange
1oz Woodford reserve
stir together and fill with ice cubes then add a orange slice and cherry.