Spirits Explained

The Negroni Family Tree

Anne Louise Marquis, National Portfolio Brand Ambassador, Campari America

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The Negroni is the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication. Easy to learn, simple to make, and endlessly compelling, it is the apex of Italian classic cocktails. While the seemingly simple blend of Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin needs no improvement, it does provide an endlessly mutable template that has inspired many a drink maker. Indeed, since the first Negroni was created at Caffé Casoni in 1919, bartenders around the world have formulated their own variations of the drink, always with Campari at the heart. We call these variations the "Negroni Family Tree."

BEGINNING WITH THE ROOTS

To explore the Negroni Family Tree, one must begin at the “roots”; a trio of drinks that paved the way for the Negroni’s creation. These drinks are the Campari Seltz, the Milano Torino (or MiTo), and the Americano. The Campari Seltz was created in 1867 by Gaspare Campari as the perfect cocktail to enjoy his newly invented red bitter liqueur. The Milano Torino came about around the same time, as people began to blend Campari from Milano (Milan) with vermouth from Torino. The result was a simple and delicious equal-parts aperitif.

When American soldiers came to Italy in WWI, they found the flavor of the “Mi-To” too bitter, so Italian bartenders added soda water to lengthen it for them. Thus the Americano, a combination of the Campari Seltz and Mi-To, was created. The Americano is not the same as the espresso drink but was invented around the same time and for the same reason.

THE TRUNK

The “trunk” of the tree is, of course, the Negroni, invented in 1919. As the story goes, Count Camillo Negroni asked his bartender Fosco Scarselli at Caffé Casoni in Milan to make him an Americano cocktail with a small but significant change: use gin rather than soda water. The bartender made him this new drink with equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin. They named it “The Negroni” in honor of the Count, and a classic was born.

THE INNER BRANCHES

Two negroni cocktails with a bottle of Campari

The “inner branches” of the tree are the drinks created in the early 1900s. As word of the Negroni spread from bar to bar over the miles and years, bartenders began to develop their own variations.

Harry McElhone created the most famous cousin of the Negroni at Harry’s Bar in Paris during Prohibition; this bourbon twist on the Negroni was American writer Erskine Gwynne’s signature drink. The cocktail shares its name with Gwynne’s publication “The Boulevardier.”

Two other famous variations from this time are the Old Pal, named for a sports editor who would call even his slightest acquaintances “old pals.” This twist on the traditional Negroni uses rye whiskey and dry vermouth for a dry and subtly spicy take on the European classic.

Lastly, the Biclicetta, Italian for bicycle, is a light spritz-like sipper often made with dry Italian white or rose wine.

THE OUTER BRANCHES

The “outer branches” of the tree are variations created since the late 20th century up until today. There have been endless permutations created in the second craft cocktail era, but a few have truly entered the zeitgeist. The Sbagliato was made at Bar Basso in Milan when the bartender mistakenly poured prosecco instead of gin, creating an instant classic.

The Oaxacan Negroni is a richly flavored variation that swaps Mezcal for gin, making for a smoky, delicious drink. The Rosita is a bartender's darling that uses Anejo tequila along with sweet and dry vermouth. The Coffee Negroni is made by filtering a classic Negroni through freshly ground coffee, giving the drink a rich deep flavor.

START MAKING COCKTAILS FROM THE NEGRONI FAMILY TREE

Don’t end your exploration of the Negroni by reading this article. Take some time to explore the Negroni Family Tree at home by making a few cocktails. Here are two simple recipes to help you get started with all of the details on what you’ll need: The Negroni and The Boulevardier.

Every day, bartenders around the world create new variations of Campari + vermouth + spirit. As advances in cocktail techniques are made, the Negroni will continue to evolve. Techniques like smoking, fat washing, and barrel aging will add new branches to the tree and show us even more ways to enjoy a Negroni. Whatever the variables, the results are delicious. The possibilities are endless with such a winning foundation. We hope you enjoy climbing the Negroni Family Tree and that you create new branches of your own.