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Cocktails

A Negroni for Every Mood

February 13, 2023

Story: Punch Staff

photos: Lizzie Munro

Cocktails

A Negroni for Every Mood

February 13, 2023

Story: Punch Staff

photos: Lizzie Munro

Here, 21 standout riffs on the Italian classic.

That canonical expression of strong and stirred, the Negroni has gained a veritable cult status. Built most often (but not always) on an equal-parts formula of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, this now-ubiquitous template has spurred what seems like an endless number of mutations. Even within the traditional parameters of the drink, variations abound, with several bartenders simply swapping out the traditional Campari for one of the dozens of new Italianate red bitters that have recently come to market. Then there are the drink’s close relatives—the Boulevardier, for instance, which replaces the gin with bourbon, or the White Negroni, made with gin, Suze and Lillet Blanc—which have become tried-and-true modern classics in their own right.

While these riffs might not read as Negronis at first glance, they nevertheless adhere to the bitter, bracing nature of the original. Whether it’s playing with the ratios or introducing new ingredients to the format—fino sherry in Dan Greenbaum’s Remember the Alimony, for example, or crème de cacao in Sarah Morrissey’s Negroni Absinthe—these riffs prove that even in a three-ingredient drink, there’s always room for improvement. Here are our favorites.

Recipe

Dante’s Negroni

A more gin-heavy revision of that classic that dials back on the Campari and sweet vermouth.

Mezcal Negroni Drink Recipe
Recipe

Negroni Absinthe

A nuanced riff on the mezcal Negroni with a splash of crème de cacao.

Negroni de Nubes
Recipe

Negroni de Nubes

An à la minute rice-wash lends a "delightful creaminess" to this Negroni.

Sour Cherry Negroni Hawksmoor NYC
Recipe

Sour Cherry Negroni

A contemporary spin on the familiar template.

Recipe

Nonalcoholic Negroni

A winning zero-proof take on the Italian classic.

Valentino Vodka Negroni Cocktail
Recipe

Valentino

A Negroni that swaps gin for vodka and departs from the equal-parts ratio.

midnight marauder
Recipe

Midnight Marauder

An unexpected spin on the Negroni featuring mezcal, Bonal and Cynar.

Recipe

Charming Man

Sherry stands in for sweet vermouth and smoky, woodsy Sfumato for Campari in this Mezcal Negroni riff.

Pandan Negroni Cocktail Recipe
Recipe

Leeward Negroni

Bitter meets tropical.

Cranberry Sauce Cocktail
Recipe

Actually Good Cranberry Sauce Cocktail

The only cranberry sauce cocktail recipe you need.

Cardinale Cocktail Recipe
Recipe

Nuked Negroni

This batched version of the classic cocktail takes an unexpected turn by way of a quick infusion in the microwave (yes, the microwave).

Fernet Cocktail Recipe
Recipe

Eeyore’s Requiem

A “deep dark Negroni, turned on its head.”

Kingston Negroni
Recipe

Kingston Negroni

Joaquín Simó's funky spin on the Negroni.

Recipe

Alpine Negroni

A large format, winterized Negroni.

Cosmo Negroni Cocktail Recipe
Recipe

Cosmogroni

A Cosmopolitan-Negroni mash-up combining cranberry, Absolut Citron and Aperol.

Negroni Frappe
Recipe

Negroni Frappé

Frappéd, refreshing and lower-proof than the classic.

kula negroni
Recipe

Kula Negroni

Julie Reiner’s Kula Negroni swaps red vermouth for blanc and calls on a strawberry-infused Campari.

Gaz Regan Negroni
Recipe

Gaz Regan’s Negroni

In this nontraditional take on the Negroni, Jägermeister stands in for Campari.

low proof negroni cocktail recipe
Recipe

Sharon

Manzanilla sherry stars in this low-octane Negroni.

Recipe

Blessed Thistle

This Negroni riff calls on CioCiaro and Cardamaro in lieu of sweet vermouth.

Negroni Cocktail Recipe
Recipe

Nico

In place of Campari, Braulio adds herbal intrigue to the Negroni template.

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