9 Best Negroni Recipes for Negroni Week

Negroni Week is one of our favourite times of the year.

Celebrated each September, not only does it give us the excuse to drink delicious Negronis (like we needed one), but also to support local bars who are raising funds for charity.

If you’re wondering “what is a Negroni?” then you’re in the right place. Here are the best Negroni variations to make at home according to our team.

What Are the Best Negroni Recipes?

Classic Negroni Cocktail

Chosen by Society co-founder Tom.

Well, duh.

No Negroni Week should be completed without trying this quintessential Campari cocktail.

Popular legend claims that the Negroni recipe was created when Italian Count Camillo Negroni asked for the club soda in his Americano cocktail to be replaced with gin.

Ingredients

25ml Gin

25ml Sweet Vermouth

25ml Campari

Orange Zest

How to make a classic Negroni

Put cubed ice into a rocks glass and add all ingredients.

Stir five times and garnish with an orange zest.

Why we love it:

“My favourite cocktails are the simple ones.

The Negroni is easy to make, with only three ingredients. What’s more, they are usually ingredients most home bartenders will have on their shelves at home.

The meeting of bitterness and sweetness is what makes this one of my go-to cocktails.”

Tom, Society Co-founder

 

Americano Cocktail

Chosen by Society Community Manager Will

The Americano recipe actually predates the Negroni.

According to many sources, the drink was created at the Camparino bar, ran by Gaspare Campari in the 1860s.

It was originally called the Milano-Torino because of its two main ingredients: Bitters from Milan and Vermouth from Turin.

It’s said the Americano name stuck when more American tourists started travelling to Europe during Prohibition.

Others say it’s based on the Italian word for bitter: “Amarricante”, referring to the flavour of the Campari.

In any case, we think “Americano” rolls off the tongue a little easier.

Ingredients

25ml Campari

30ml Red Vermouth

Top Soda Water

How to make an Americano Cocktail

Mix all ingredients with ice in a collins glass.

Garnish with an orange slice.

Why we love it:

“Sometimes the originals are the best.

Lesser known than the Negroni, I love the Americano for it’s simplicity.

Easy to make, delicious to drink, and retaining that balance of sweet and tart.”

Will, Society Community Manager

 

Blackberry Negroni

This blackberry Negroni recipe featured in our cocktail subscription box.

Made with Slingsby Blackberry Gin it’s a seasonal take on the traditional cocktail – perfect for autumn and winter sipping!

 

Negroni Sbagliato

Nominated by Society Marketing Exec Joel

INGREDIENTS

Champagne

30ml Campari

30ml Red Vermouth

How to make a Negroni Sbagliato

Pour the Campari and Vermouth into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Add a dash of Champagne. Garnish with an orange slice.

Why we love it:

“I just love the story behind this cocktail.

Like the origins of the classic Negroni recipe it’s an iconic and possibly spurious anecdote.

The tale goes that a bartender accidently added Champagne instead of gin to the Negroni they were making.

A very happy accident; in fact, “Sbagliato” means “mistake” in Italian.

Having worked behind many bars in my time I can relate to the poor bartender who unwittingly created a classic.

Unfortunately, my mistakes never created any iconic cocktails. There’s always next time!

As well as being a great Negroni, it more than earns it’s place in any list of great Champagne cocktail recipes.”

Joel, Society Marketer

 

Boulevardier Cocktail

Chosen by Society co-founder Nick

When Harry MacElhone published “Barflies and Cocktails” in 1927 he made the unusual step of including cocktails created by guests at his bar.

The Boulevardier, created by Erskine Gwynne, the publisher of Boulevardier Magazine, is one such recipe.

The word “Boulevardier” means wealthy socialite, so it was the perfect name for a magazine describing the antics of rich American expats living in Paris.

The magazine didn’t last long, unlike the cocktail of the same name, which has the perfect balance of bitter and sweet.

Ingredients

45ml Bourbon

20ml Red Vermouth

20ml Campari

1 Maraschino Cherry

How to make a Boulevardier Cocktail

Add the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.

Stir well for 30 seconds. Strain the mix into coupe glass.

Why we love it:

“Whenever I’m asked about the most delicious Negroni recipes the Boulevardier is the first thing I recommend.

We work with some great Bourbon brands so I’ve been lucky enough to try this cocktail with great whiskeys like Kentucky Owl and Bulleit.”

Nick, Society Co-founder

 

Mezcal Negroni

Nominated by Society Marketing Exec Joel

It was only in the late 20th century that the Negroni made its way across the Atlantic to America.

Finding popularity across New York, bars devoted to Tequila and Agave popularized this twist on the Negroni.

Both Tequila and Mezcal are made by distilling parts of the Agave plant.

The Mezcal gives the drink smokier notes, with a warm finish.

INGREDIENTS

30ml Mezcal

30ml Campari

30ml Sweet Vermouth

How to make a Mezcal Negroni

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir.

Strain the mix into rocks glass with ice.

Why we love it

“Agave spirits like tequila and it’s lesser known cousin mezcal are having a moment right now.

This recipe keeps the simplicity of the original but adds smokier notes from the mezcal.

Made from roasted agave plant, mezcal’s smoky taste balances the sweetness from the vermouth in a different way to gin.

I think you’ll like this if you like an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan”

Joel, Society Marketer

 

White Negroni

Chosen by Society Drinks Consultant Charlotte

In 2001, whilst in France for a cocktail competition, then Plymouth Gin director Nick Blacknell, and bartender Wayne Collins decided to update the Negroni using local French ingredients.

The White Negroni took a while to become popular in bars, owing to the lack of French ingredients like Suze.

However, Audrey Saunders, bar director at New York’s Pegu Club, saw the potential and listed it at her venues.

One of the staff serving at Pegu was Jim Meehan, who went on to serve the drink at his PDT speakeasy and publish the recipe in The PDT Cocktail Book.

On a side note, if you haven’t read this seminal cocktail book already, you simply must.

Ingredients

30ml Gin

30ml Suze Liqueur

30ml Lillet Blanc

How to make a White Negroni

Stir all ingredients to a mixing glass.

Strain the mix into rocks glass with ice.

Why we love it:

“Firstly, this is the best Negroni recipe if you love France! More specifically, French produce like the iconic Lillet Blanc.

Any drink from the PDT cocktail book is a worth trying in my opinion, even if finding the ingredients for this one can be a bit tricky a times.

It’s a mellow cocktail, so the grapefruit garnish is essential.”

Charlotte, Society Drinks Consultant

 

Best Negroni Recipe For A Sweet Cocktail: Contessa Cocktail

Chosen by Society Co-founder Tom

If you’re searching our list of Negroni recipes for something lighter and sweeter then the Contessa is a great option.

First served in 2006, as part of Boston’s Drink bar’s flight of three twists on the Negroni, the drink swaps out two of the main Negroni ingredients.

Is it still a Negroni? The creation by John Gertsen, Courtney Hennessey, and Ryan McGrale is probably more classed as a close relation.

It’s still delicious though, and should be on your list of cocktails to try.

INGREDIENTS

30ml Gin

30ml Aperol

30ml Dry Vermouth

HOW TO MAKE A CONTESSA COCKTAIL

Make it like a regular Negroni but switch the garnish for a lemon twist.

Why we love it:

“One for the Aperol Spritz lovers out there.

Whilst this drink doesn’t have the fizz of the spritz, it’s a great way to experience the flavours of Aperol”

Tom, Society Co-founder

 

Old Pal

Chosen by Society Co-founder Casey

Another Negroni variation from Harry MacElhone’s famed Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.

In essence, it’s a variation on the Boulevardier, which in turn was based on the Negroni.

Swapping to dry vermouth makes it a lighter serve than the Boulevardier.

Ingredients

30ml Rye Whiskey

30ml Campari

30ml Dry Vermouth

How to make an Old Pal Cocktail

Mix all ingredients well in a mixing glass.

Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Why we love it:

“If you stir this one enough and then let it sit, it can really magnify the flavours of a good Rye Whiskey.”

Casey, Society Co-founder

 

What is Negroni Week?

Between 13-19 September, bars across the world celebrate the Negroni cocktail and raise donations for charity.

Bars donate to good causes when they sign up to be listed on the Negroni Week official website. Throughout the week they serve Negronis and variations of the best Negroni cocktail recipes.

Negroni Week was created by Campari, the Italian spirit brand featured in the Negroni, and Imbibe Magazine.

If you’re looking to join in with Negroni Week you could support a local bar participating, or donate to one of the official Negroni Week charities.

Celebrate Negroni Week With Our Negroni Cocktail Kit

Join in the Negroni Week celebrations with our deluxe Negroni cocktail making kit.

Featuring all you need for four serves of this legendary cocktail,

Included are a spirit measure and a recipe card – so even if you’re not an expert bartender you’ll be able to enjoy Negroni as good as the one from your favourite cocktail bar.

There’s also a premium snack included to enjoy with your cocktails.

Get Involved!

The best part of Negroni Week is seeing the creativity shown by home bartenders across the world.

You don’t need to be an expert, just take the core ingredients of the Negroni, and adapt them to something new.

If you share your variation on the Negroni with the world, make sure to tag us @thecocktailsocietyuk in the comments.

We may feature it in our round up of the Best Negroni Cocktail Recipes to Try for Negroni Week 2021!

Don’t forget to let us know your best Negroni recipes @thecocktailsocietyuk