This article contains affiliate links. We may receive compensation if you make a purchase using one of these links at no additional cost to you. See our Disclaimers and Terms of Use for more information.
The story goes that Florentine bartender Fosco Scarselli invented the Negroni in 1919 when Camilo Negroni requested a riff on the Americano. Instead of the Americano’s typical trifecta of Campari, soda water and sweet vermouth, he wanted his cocktail crafted with Campari, gin and sweet vermouth.
With that simple change and the addition of an orange twist, a cocktail icon was born.
More than a century later, the Negroni is more popular ever.
It’s a perrenial entry on every ‘most popular cocktails in the world’ list, sometimes even landing the top spot. It also has its own week, appropriately called Negroni Week, that celebrates the iconic cocktail each year.
And, in a case of history repeating itself, the classic Negroni has inspired its own variations. Just like Scarselli’s version, they all have easy recipes and complex flavors. However, some Negronia variations are better than others.
Invented in 1919, the OG Negroni started a cocktail genre. Unique for its deep red color and acerbic flavor, the classic cocktail packs a punch with equal parts of bitter Campari, dry gin and sweet vermouth. It's a standard-bearer for all Italian cocktails.
The Negroni Sbagliato was allegedly invented by mistake. Fast forward 50 years and this mistaken 'Negroni with Prosecco' has become a worldwide sensation. Join the hype and craft the sparkling cocktail at home.
The simple addition of espresso takes the classic Negroni in a different direction. Easy to craft and satisfying to drink, the Espresso Negroni will perk you up and make you smile with its bitter, bold and beautiful flavors.
The White Negroni is France's take on Italy's classic cocktail. Despite its vivid yellow color, the elegant French cocktail channels the original Negroni's bright and bitter flavors.
As the inspiration for the Negroni, the Amricano can't be forgotten during any Negroni exploration. That's not a problem since the historic Italian cocktail has a simple recipe that's a dream come true for lazy mixologists.
A Boulevardier cocktail is a Negroni crafted with bourbon instead of gin. Bourbon flavors like vanilla and caramel combine with Campari's fruity bitterness to create a drink that's both complex and highly sippable.
Article Updates We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.
Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
📍 Pin This Article
Pin
Pin
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
