Shouldn't the Negroni rate its own thread?

Beer and Spirits
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Alan fixed me up with the Aperitivo bitters and I repeated my last drink above (Vya/Gran Classico) with it, except I finished off my bottle of Venus Gin #1 rather than use the Sapphire East. It’s also very good though I really like the character of the East and I’ll probably go back there next.

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Use more.

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Admittedly, I haven’t had too many, but the few Negroni I’ve tried were seriously tough to get through. So, so bitter. I need to try one of the above badass versions because, until that opportunity faces me, I’ll never order a Negroni. I wonder what happened. Oddly enough, I think I was inspired to make one after watching an episode of one of Anthony Bourdain’s shows where he was extolling the virtues of Negronis as his favorite drink. I thought, “That looks pretty good, and pretty easy.” Nasty.

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What booze were you using Brandon? Could make all the difference in the world.

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Anyone had any of these? Can’t seem to find most of them here in California.

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I’ve been making Negronis with Bareksten, Carpano Antica and Campari, with orange bitters tossed in.

Barkesten is a new Norwegian gin that I picked up at a Duty Free (http://barekstenspirits.com/). I like it a bit more than the Finnish Napue (Kyrö Napue Gin – Kyrö Distillery), as the aromatics are over the top, similar to Monkey 47. Both come in at ~46%, although Bareksten’s recommendation is a 2:1:1 recipe for Negronis.

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Alan,

Bloom is available in US. We just brought it to WA thru Prestige Spirits. Another new one to me was Drumshanbo.

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My favorite Negroni variation, and also my favorite cocktail, is the “new pal,” which is essentially what happened when Negroni and Sazerac had a baby. 1 oz each rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari. 1 tsp absinthe. 1 dash Peychaud’s, or to your taste. I prefer to pour over ice, stir, and then strain, but into a rocks glass because martini glasses are ridiculous. Then I typically add a drop each of Regan’s orange bitters and Fee Brothers blood orange bitters, but the standard orange peel works too of course if you have it around.

On standard negronis and new pals, I have preferred the Antica Formula to Punt e Mes, but haven’t tried the 50\50 blend. That could be interesting. Haven’t tried any Campari substitutes, but lots of vermouth substitutes. The Bitter Truth’s EXR is a good one for a little variety.

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Absinthe crushes a cocktail for me. Too powerful, even with a dash.

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Made a Swiss Cartel last night…1oz Reposado Tequila, 1oz Gran Classico, 1oz Carpano Antica, various bitters. It’s a Tequila version of the Negroni. Liked it…didn’t love it. The Gran Classico kinda overpowered things.

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Had a fantastic Negroni at this bar in SD during a way hot Indian summer: https://www.cohnrestaurants.com/bluepoint

Now that I’m back on the Oregon coast in the forever cool who knows when I’ll have one again.

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Obviously tolerances vary, but I agree completely with the concept here. 1 tsp in a New Pal works perfectly for my tastes, but of all the ingredients to be careful with, that’s the one. Even a little it too much is WAY too much.

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I always refrigerate my vermouth to preserve it, unlike all the other ingredients here. Any thoughts on whether one could barrel-age a Negroni or other variation made with sweet vermouth? Or would it spoil and I’m better off using a hardier substitute (I would start with EXR or Montenegro to experiment)?

I guess I could barrel-age in the fridge, but not sure I have the room for that. Stupid sour cream.

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My husband and I LOVE Negronis and drink them frequently. However, we only recently started experimenting with different gins.[dontknow.gif]
Since this thread is a few years old, are there any newer gins you are currently enjoying in your Negronis?

If you drink Boulevardiers (we love these, too), what’s your bourbon of choice?

Thanks [cheers.gif]

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Abbie,

This might not be that helpful, but I like Tanqueray in my Negroni’s. It’s at a slightly higher proof and I think that it stands up well to the distinctive flavor profiles. I’ve tried other more delicate gins and they seem to get lost.

For Boulevardier’s, I greatly prefer Rye. But that goes for all Bourbon cocktails for me. When I do give in, I use Buffalo Trace. Although someone gifted me a bottle of Breckenridge and that seems to work fine too.

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Yes. I have barrel aged Negronis the last few years. Go on Amazon and search for wood barrels. I usually get the 2 liter size. Then make/mix your normal Negroni. I make mine 1:1:1 of The Botanist Gin, Cochi Vermouth, and Aperol. New barrel, one month is enough. Second year, two months. Third year, at least three months, and that’s a push. Vinci has served aged Negronis, as have a few other bars nearby.

As a cheat, there are some barrel aged gins on the market. In Chicago, it’s easy to find ones from Koval and from Few. I personally prefer Koval’s. Use one of these as your gin and skip the barrel.

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Similar minds…

Don’t drink cocktails that much at home, but when I do it’s a Boulevardier #1 and a Negroni #2.

Usually use Tangueray for a Negroni and flexible on a higher proof bourbon for a Boulevardier. Since higher proof bourbons with a decent age are less expensive than similar ryes, I tend to favor bourbons over ryes in my Boulevardiers.

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I think that’s why we never experimented with different gins. The thought that the distinctive flavors would be overpowered by the Campari. I am noticing more of a “crispness”, though, with certain gins. Last night we used Berry Bros & Rudd #3 and it was really nice.

My husband prefers Rye, as well. So if he’s making us a Boulevardier, he’s using Rittenhouse. They can be quite potent. I like to mix it up and try different bourbons…

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I’m a Rittenhouse guy as well. High West Double Rye is a solid substitute for Rittenhouse.

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I usually have 7 or 8 gins on hand, but feel subtleties get lost in a Negroni and I’m good with Tangueray in a Negroni. Maybe I just haven’t found a better option. And I can buy a handle of Tangueray on sale for less than a 750 of the other gins I have.