Negroni
Equal parts. That's the whole secret to a Negroni. It's bitter, it's boozy, it's one of the best drinks ever made. Gordon's Special Dry works well here - it's got enough juniper to hold its own against the Campari without being flashy about it. Martini Rosso for the vermouth. Stir it properly over ice, don't shake it, and serve with a dehydrated orange slice if you have one. It looks the part and the citrus oil from the orange finishes it off right.
Ingredients - per drink
- 25ml Gordon's Special Dry Gin
- 25ml Martini Rosso red vermouth
- 25ml Campari
- Ice — large cube or a handful of cubes for stirring, fresh ice to serve
- Dehydrated orange slice, to garnish — buy online; lasts forever and looks great
Method
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Add the gin, vermouth, and Campari to a mixing glass or the glass you're serving it in. If you have a proper mixing glass, use that - it chills the drink more evenly.
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Fill with ice and stir for around 20–30 seconds. You're chilling and diluting the drink slightly - both matter. Don't shake it. A Negroni is a stirred drink; shaking makes it cloudy and over-diluted.
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Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice - ideally one large cube if you have it, which melts slower and keeps the drink cold without watering it down.
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Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice rested on the rim or dropped in. Done.
Equal parts is the rule. 25ml each is standard. You can go up to 30ml each for a bigger drink - just keep the ratio the same.
Stir, don't shake. Shaking aerates and over-dilutes. A Negroni should be silky, not frothy.
Dehydrated orange. Worth buying a bag online - they're cheap, keep indefinitely, and immediately make the drink look like it came from a bar. The dried citrus oil on the slice adds something a fresh orange wheel doesn't.
Batch it. If you're making Negronis for a few people, combine equal parts of all three in a jug, keep in the fridge, and pour over ice to order. Stays good for a few days.