ASIA PACIFIC, 13 SEPTEMBER – The lure of a Negroni is its completeness, providing an explosion of flavours while maintaining balance, along with its signature bright red hue. Not just a fantastic way to start a meal, it also works as a nightcap or on its own, and modern variations create myriad Negroni-appropriate occasions. It is at once herbaceous, sweet, strong, and ― perhaps most notably ― bitter. Its straightforward recipe of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and red bitter belies the complexity of each individual ingredient and its ability to be modernised and customised. In fact, it is among the most interpreted cocktails of our time.

Single Origin Negroni

Teresa Negroni with Widges Gin

Since the cocktail’s inception in 1919, Negronis have easily made their way into the canon of classic cocktails, enjoyed worldwide. Ryan McLeod, Co-Founder of Peddlers, recognizes the transportive power of the cocktail, as a “refreshing alcohol-forward beverage with flavours that remind you of Italy.”

Itself a variation, the Negroni is said to have come about in Florence as a riff of the Americano (which was a lengthened variation of yet another cocktail, the Milano-Torino, equal parts bitter and sweet vermouth). In search of a stronger sip than the Americano provided, the soda water was swapped out for a matching equal part of gin and a new classic was born. But as with most cocktail origin stories, there may be some fuzziness to the facts.

“Historically it’s not been proved that this drink was born on equal parts. Indeed, it’s much likely that the vermouth or/and the bitter parts were higher than the gin part. That being said, it’s always interesting to try new variations, and nobody needs to always follow a certain rule: creativity is limitless.” Grazia Di Franco, Mancino Vermouth Brand Ambassador explains.

Peddlers Sichuan Negroni

With the availability of new spirits, the global ability to share information in an instant, and the rise of cocktail culture, the bar and spirits worlds are always evolving, changing, and creating new spin-offs to classic cocktails. In particular, the gin and Amari categories have exploded in the past several years, with brands from craft to corporate all creating their specific signatures, bending and expanding the previously established limits of each category.

For those seeking to create their own signature Negroni; classic or a spin-off, consider the base first – be it traditional gin or a variation with an aged spirit, agave, or something else entirely. From there, the bitter should complement; perhaps it’s from the same region as the base or employs similar botanicals or production methods. One of the most prevalent adjustments seen includes amping up the gin portion and reducing the bitter pour, to cut some sweetness and add a bigger botanical punch. Another option, using aged spirits as the base, is so common that the bourbon version of a Negroni has its own name, a Boulevardier. Trading the vermouth and bitter for modern versions is a great way to add local or custom flair to a signature Negroni.

Our industry experts have a few more suggestions to get started:

Grazia Di Franco

Being a vermouth brand, we always try new Negroni variations all over the world. A White Negroni with Rinomato Americano works amazingly, as does a Claypot Negroni with a touch of amaro: we personally developed a recipe based on a melange of Mancino Vermouth, Amaro Lucano Anniversario, gin and Rinomato Aperitivo Scuro.

Luke Sanderson

An agave-based White Negroni is a great variation; the green and grassy notes from the agave with Suze and Lillet or Cocchi Americano… DELISH! I’m also a big fan of a cocktail called a Lucien Gaudin, which falls somewhere between a Negroni and a Gin Martini. Gin-forward with a splash of dry vermouth, dry Curaçao, and Italian Bitter.

Ryan McLeod

Burnt orange peel Negroni with Peddlers Shanghai Craft Gin is a favourite.

Oh, and any time a touch of coffee is incorporated into a classic Negroni I have enjoyed. I would recommend you give it a try because it’s delicious!

Mancino Vermouth Negroni

The beauty of the Negroni lies in its ability to be executed by anyone. Infinitely customisable, adaptations can come about in a number of ways: the portions adjusted, the base spirit swapped, the vermouth and bitter components updated. At a certain point, cocktails leave the world of being a version of a Negroni to what can best be described as “Negroni-inspired”. While the ability to try new variations and spin-offs is vast, for many people it becomes apparent that a true classic often lay within the 1:1:1 equal parts ratio.

Luke Sanderson from True Believers mentioned “Many view a Negroni as almost a cocktail category unto itself, like the Martini and its many variations. But a Negroni will always be the triple threat of gin, vermouth and bitter.”

Di Franco concurs; “You can play with the ratio, swap the gin with a rum, adding a touch of liqueur or other ingredients, but when the recipe goes too far from the original, you’re just creating a new drink that has nothing to do with a Negroni. And garnish-wise, citrus is always preferred.”


ABOUT MANCINO VERMOUTH

Mancino Vermouth was born in 2011 in a small family-run distillery in Asti, Piedmont. The distillery, established over 60 years ago in 1957, inspired Giancarlo Mancino, owner of the brand, to compose his own vermouth using only the finest hand-picked spices and botanicals. From the moment you pick up the bottle, its classic look and feel, together with the bittersweet concoctions awaiting inside, impress upon you the timeless character that make Mancino Vermouth an integral part of the world’s finest cocktail bars.

For more information, please visit Mancino Vermouth.

ABOUT PEDDLERS GIN COMPANY

Peddlers is a Shanghai gin company started in 2017 with a vision of challenging perceptions of what it means to be ‘Made in China’. Using uniquely Chinese ingredients like Sichuan Pepper and Buddha’s Hand, Peddlers Gin tells a story of diverse regions of China. With exports of their premium gin to over ten countries throughout the Asia Pacific, and triple-digit sales growth, Peddlers is proudly representing Shanghai to the world.

For more information, please visit Peddlers Gin Company.

ABOUT TRUE BELIEVERS SPIRITS

True Believers was conceived by Proof & Company to offer a range of craft spirits that bridges the gap between economical pouring brands, which often fall short in meeting modern consumer preferences for craft credibility, and super-premium craft spirits, which are generally priced out of reach for house pouring programs. Each of the True Believers brands was developed individually to serve as a versatile archetype of its category, suitable for cocktails and sipping alike. The spirits themselves are produced with authentic craft values by highly-regarded distillers. 

For more information, please visit True Believers.