The Orange Negroni is an interesting summery, light twist on the classic original.
The Negroni is a classic cocktail which I’ve written about elsewhere on this blog. Not only does it have a bittersweet flavour but it’s beautiful in its simplicity. It only contains 3 ingredients. All you need to add to these ingredients is some ice and a little garnish and its job done. You don’t even need a cocktail shaker. How about some other citrus versions of this cocktail?
Twists on the original Negroni
I’ve written elsewhere that the Negroni is my favourite cocktail. Consequently it’s easy as a mixologist to look for variations on this classic combination. The garnish on a traditional negroni is a little orange peel added to the drink in any case. So it already lends itself to an orange twist in both senses of the word.
Which gin to choose
There are a few good orange gins on the market. My personal favourites are Tanqueray Sevilla – second and my number one is Malfy orange gin (known as arencia.) I also happen to like Malfy’s rosa (grapefruit) and limon gins too so having their orange version looks good in the gin collection.
In keeping with the orange theme, I also use Martini fiero in this particular cocktail as my vermouth. It has an orange tinge and I think was the Martini brand’s twist on Aperol. Sadly they no longer market this product in the UK. Nevertheless it is widely available in many other countries. To add insult to injury, I recently saw a massive 1.5 litre bottle displayed on the countertop in a bakery in Prague! Read about my frustration with the Martini brand over this.
Finally to keep this version of the Negroni light, I tend to favour Aperol over Campari. It has a lighter flavour, i.e. it’s not so bitter and it is lighter orange in colour. The resulting orange negroni has a beautiful light summer feel. Try and see what you think. It’s a Negroni so it’s recommended!