Anatomy of a Classic Cocktail: The Negroni

The famed Italian aperitivo is as simple as 3 ingredients in equal parts—but that's just the beginning

This three-ingredient classic allows for endless variation. Maurese/Shutterstock

The recipe couldn’t be any more straightforward: one ounce each of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. With the ingredients being strictly forms of alcohol (no juices), it need only be poured over ice and stirred, not shaken. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Its origins, however, are not quite so clear, nor are they well-documented. But the common story is that in 1919 at the Caffè Casoni in Florence, Count Camillo Negroni asked for an Americano—Campari, vermouth, soda, and a lemon slice—but with a little more of a kick. So the bartender swapped in gin for the soda, orange for the lemon, and his client’s surname for the new cocktail’s moniker.

Campari is listed by name, but other bitter-orange substitutes will work.vvoe/Shutterstock

This tracks well. Before the Americano, there was the Milano-Torino, or “Mi-To,” a simple combo of the two cities’ associated ingredients—Campari and Vermouth di Torino—that was first served at Gaspare Campari’s café in Milan circa 1860. American expats—i.e., Prohibition refugees—ordered them with a splash of soda to soften the boldness of the drink, and so it became known as the Americano.

Swap the gin for prosecco, and you have a trendy Negroni sbagliato.itor/Shutterstock

The Sky’s the Limit

Much variation can be found in those three ingredients. Campari is a bitter-orange-dominant infusion of herbs and fruits with a touch of sweetness to it. The bright red, stains-your-shirt liqueur is listed by name, but other bitter-orange substitutes will work—Meletti 1870 or Cappelletti, or even aperol, which will be less bitter but potentially overpowered by juniper-forward gins.

The gin itself, from London Dry or Old Tom to citrusy or floral herbal varieties, also gives different results.

Carpano Antica Formula is a popular substitute for Torino, but the vermouths aren’t identical, thus giving more room to play.

And then come the bolder variations that demand new names. A barkeep in Milan in the 1980s allegedly grabbed the prosecco bottle by mistake rather than gin, resulting in the Negroni sbagliato (“sbal-YACHT-o”), the “mistaken” Negroni. Emma D’Arcy, star of “House of the Dragon,” recently spilled that the sbagliato is her favorite drink in an interview, and its popularity stateside took off.

Try Cynar, an Italian amaro, for a more complex take. Antonio Gravante/Shutterstock

Swap out gin for mezcal for a mezcal Negroni—though if you use bourbon, then you’ve got a Boulevardier. Replace a quarter of the vermouth with elderflower liqueur and you’ve got a Dear Jane. How about a more complex Cynar Negroni, adding the namesake Italian amaro for the Campari?

In the multiverse of cocktails, the Negroni is the starting point for everything, everywhere, all at once.

Classic Negroni

This iconic cocktail is one of the easiest to make—no fancy equipment required. Start with the tried and true 1-1-1 ratio, then experiment to suit your tastes.

• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth

Mix and stir the ingredients over ice until chilled.

Strain into an old-fashioned glass and garnish with an orange slice.