This take on the Kingston Negroni builds off of an ounce of Rum Fire, which bartender Joaquín Simó describes as “the air horn version of Jamaican rum,” bursting with notes of grilled plantains and overripe fruit. It’s a drink that takes the recipe to its logical extreme by smacking you across the face with one of the most aromatic Jamaican rums on the market. But the judges at our blind tasting of Kingston Negronis had no issue with the selection. “It’s a Kingston Negroni,” said McCray. “The focal point should be rum.”
Austin Hartman’s Kingston Negroni
Austin Hartman | Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 ounce overproof Jamaican rum, preferably Rum Fire
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth, preferably Carpano Antica
- 1/2 ounce Campari
- 1/2 ounce Cappelletti Aperitivo
- 1 dash orange bitters, preferably Regans’
Garnish: orange twist
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an expressed orange twist inserted into the glass.