3 Cocktail Recipes with this ingredient.
The Negroni is the perfect aperitivo — bitter, sweet, and boozy in equal measure. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth stirred over ice and served with an orange peel. It was allegedly invented in Florence in 1919 when Count Negroni asked his bartender to strengthen an Americano by swapping the soda water for gin. Use a quality London dry gin and Carpano Antica Formula or Cocchi Torino for the vermouth.
A smoky, contemporary riff on the classic Negroni that swaps London dry gin for mezcal. The agave smokiness of mezcal weaves beautifully with the bitterness of Campari and the rich herbal sweetness of vermouth. Phil Ward at Death & Company popularized the mezcal Negroni riff. Use a quality joven or espadin mezcal — Del Maguey Vida works beautifully without being overpoweringly smoky.
The Vieux Carré ('old square' — French for the French Quarter) was created by Walter Bergeron at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans in the 1930s. It's a masterclass in complexity: rye whiskey and cognac provide a double-spirit base, sweet vermouth adds body, Bénédictine (or Fernet in this version) adds herbal depth, and both Peychaud's and Angostura bitters tie everything together. It's like an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, and a Sazerac had a sophisticated, worldly child.