Negroni: The Classic Recipe and Five Variations
The Negroni brings three distinct ingredients together: gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth. Its bittersweet, herbal character makes it a useful starting point for exploring how a different spirit or vermouth changes a cocktail.
Start with the classic balance
For one classic Negroni, use 30 ml each of gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth. Pour them into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice, stir gently and garnish with half an orange slice. These are the proportions and method listed by the International Bartenders Association.
- 30 ml gin
- 30 ml Campari
- 30 ml sweet red vermouth
- Ice
- Half an orange slice
Measure the three ingredients separately. Equal parts give you a clear reference for comparison; they do not make every gin or vermouth taste identical. Stirring chills the drink and introduces dilution as the ice melts.
What each ingredient contributes
Gin brings its botanical character, Campari supplies a pronounced bitter note, and sweet red vermouth adds sweetness and wine-based herbal flavours. The result is a spirit-forward cocktail. It is more accurate to describe it as bittersweet than simply sweet or refreshing.
To explore your preferences, change one ingredient at a time. Compare another gin while keeping the vermouth and proportions the same, or try a different sweet red vermouth with your usual gin. This makes it easier to notice what changed.
Five related variations
- White Negroni: gin, Lillet Blanc and Suze give the idea a different aromatic profile and colour.
- Negroni Sbagliato: sparkling wine replaces gin, alongside Campari and sweet red vermouth.
- Boulevardier: bourbon or rye whiskey joins Campari and sweet red vermouth. The IBA recipe uses 45 ml whiskey and 30 ml each of the other two ingredients.
- Mezcal Negroni: mezcal takes the place of gin; the particular mezcal influences the result.
- Old Pal: rye whiskey, Campari and dry vermouth create a different balance from the sweet-vermouth classic.
These are related drinks, not a rule that every variation must use the classic Negroni's equal measures. Use the recipe for the version you choose, particularly when changing both the spirit and the vermouth.
A short note on the name
The familiar origin story places Count Camillo Negroni in Florence in 1919, asking bartender Fosco Scarselli to replace the soda in an Americano with gin. It is best presented as the cocktail's widely told origin story. Read more in our Negroni history guide.
If the Negroni is your usual order, explore the clothing and accessories in our Negroni collection.
