As far as timeless cocktails go, we’ll admit that we’re fans of all of them. You put a Singapore Sling, an Old Fashioned, or a Vesper in front of us and we’ll be well on our way to happy town. Another classic cocktail we love — because of its taste, its beauty, and its simplicity — is the Negroni.
Typically built from one part gin, one part Campari, and one part sweet red vermouth (completed with an orange peel), the Negroni was popularly believed to have been created at the Café Casoni (which then became the Giacosa Café and is now permanently closed) in Florence, Italy in 1919 by Count Camillo Negroni, who asked the bartender (who happened to be his friend) to strengthen his favorite drink, The Americano, by swapping out the club soda with gin (a man after our own hearts). The bartender did as much and changed out the lemon peel for orange, thereby birthing the Negroni. There are other accounts that contest this, but the story is fun and only part of the build-up here, so we’re going to let sleeping dogs lie on this one.
We bring up this bit of history because June 24 through June 30 marks the seventh annual Negroni Week, presented by Campari and Imbibe Magazine. (This year is especially important, as 2019 is the 100th anniversary of the Negroni.) Launched in 2013, Negroni Week is not only meant to showcase the cocktail, but to raise money in doing so, with a portion of the proceeds of every Negroni sold going to charity. Since the week-long celebration’s inception, Negroni week has grown from around 120 bars to over 10,000 around the world, raising around $2 million dollars for charitable causes in the same period. This year’s charitable partners can be found here. To participate, each bar signs up, picks a charity, and makes an immediate donation. Following Negroni Week, the bar has the ability to donate again to raise more money.
With so many places now participating in Negroni Week, it may seem a little overwhelming at first. Thankfully, you can head to the event’s website and use their handy-dandy bar locator to see what bars near you are serving up Negronis (both of the classic variety as well as riffs) for a cause.
If you’re not going to be able to make it to any of the venues, we’ve included the classic Negroni recipe below for you to try out. We’ve also included the recipe for the Americano, which the Negroni was based on.
Classic Negroni Recipe
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz sweet red vermouth
- orange peel, for garnish
Method: Add all ingredients to a large rocks glass with a cube or ball of ice. Stir well. Garnish with an orange peel.
Americano Recipe
- 1.5 oz Campari
- 1.5 oz sweet red vermouth
- 3 oz club soda
- orange peel, for garnish
Method: Add ingredients to a Collins glass with ice. Stir and garnish with an orange peel.
