General Pascal Olivier Count de Negroni, a Frenchman born in Corsica, must have been in a celebratory mood the day he asked an Italian bartender to update his usual Americano aperitivo. He requested gin in the place of soda water. It was 1919, less than a year after the end of WWI, and things were hopefully going to get better. The whole world had gone to war, and the landscape was irrevocably changed.
Little did he know that his order of 1 part sweet vermouth, 1 part Campari, and 1 part gin – mixed for him for the first time in Florence – would update cocktail history and become a worldwide sensation 100 years later.
The Negroni Cocktail is a simple drink, and one of a few to include a branded liqueur, Campari. Campari is considered a “bitters” in the world of cocktails; it is a dark red liqueur, an aperitif, infused with herbs and fruit. On its own it is extremely bitter. It is often mixed with soda water and vermouth to make an Americano, or prosecco to make a spritz. Orange, citrus and grapefruit are also commonly mixed with it.
When we taste tested a Vya Negroni, we found that Vya modified the bitterness in Campari and rounded out the cocktail with an enticing aroma, sweetness, notes of orange and the baking spice profile for which Vya is known. Vya’s plant magic intertwined with the bitter Campari and gin made for an exciting experience. To be clear, the Negroni is a seriously bitter cocktail, but if you like bitter and you also like a simple, classic cocktail, then the Vya Negroni is for you. We find it more palatable once the big ice cube has started to melt a bit.
We tested Vya Sweet Vermouth against some other popular vermouths and would put it up against any vermouth as a fine addition to the best Negronis to be enjoyed with friends! The gin you use will also make a big difference, so find one that you like on its own, whether it is dry or more botanical, and experiment to see what your preference is in the Negroni.
Ingredients:
1 part Vya Sweet Vermouth
1 part Campari
1 part balanced gin
Garnish: orange twist
Preparation:
Stir in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with an orange twist.
Looking for more Negroni recipes using Vya Sweet Vermouth? Try our Caligroni and our Sunset Blood Orange Negroni. And don’t forget to share what you’re mixing up with us by tagging us @officialvyavermouth on social!