The most perfectly balanced cocktail ever invented. Equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. Stirred, served over a single big ice cube, garnished with an orange peel. The drink serious bartenders learn to make first because the ratio is the entire skill.
Equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. Bitter, herbal, perfect aperitivo. Stirred, served on a big rock with orange.
Ingredients
30mlLondon Dry Gin
30mlCampari
30mlSweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica or Cinzano Rosso)
1large ice cube
1orange peel, expressed and dropped in
Instructions
Add the gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with plenty of ice cubes.
Stir for 30 seconds (about 50 stirs) until well chilled and properly diluted.
Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
Express an orange peel over the surface (squeeze to release the oils, then run the peel around the rim and drop it in).
Serve immediately.
Notes
Stir, never shake. The gin needs to stay clear and silky - shaking aerates the drink and gives you a cloudy, foamy result. Stirring is also slower, which is on-brand for a Negroni.
Glass
Rocks
Serves
1
Ingredients
30ml / 1oz London Dry Gin
30ml / 1oz Campari
30ml / 1oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica or Cinzano Rosso)
1 large ice cube
1 orange peel, expressed and dropped in
Instructions
Add the gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with plenty of ice cubes.
Stir for 30 seconds (about 50 stirs) until well chilled and properly diluted.
Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
Express an orange peel over the surface (squeeze to release the oils, then run the peel around the rim and drop it in).
Serve immediately.
Drink Lab Pro Tip
Stir, never shake. The gin needs to stay clear and silky – shaking aerates the drink and gives you a cloudy, foamy result. Stirring is also slower, which is on-brand for a Negroni.
Where it came from
The Negroni was invented in Florence in 1919, supposedly by Count Camillo Negroni, who walked into Café Casoni and asked the bartender Fosco Scarselli to strengthen his Americano (Campari + sweet vermouth + soda) by replacing the soda with gin. The drink was named after him, and Italians have been arguing about the exact ratio ever since.
It went mainstream globally in the 2010s, riding the bitter-cocktail revival. By 2025 it sits in the global top-ten most-ordered cocktails, with around 200,000 monthly searches in the US alone.
What it tastes like
Bitter orange and herbs from the Campari up front, sweet plum and clove from the vermouth in the middle, juniper-pine from the gin on the finish, citrus oil from the orange peel sitting on top. Bracing, complex, and unmistakably Italian.
Drinks slow. The first sip is challenging if you have not had bitter cocktails before. By the third sip you understand. By the fifth Negroni in your life you start ordering them on your own.
The technique
Equal parts is the sacred rule. 1:1:1 by volume, 30ml of each. Some bartenders skew slightly heavier on the gin (40ml gin to 25ml each Campari and vermouth) for a drier version. Both are valid.
Stir for 30 seconds in a mixing glass, not a shaker. Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass. The single cube melts slowly enough that the drink stays at the right strength from first sip to last.
Express the orange peel – squeeze to release the oils, then run around the rim. The aromatic oils on the surface are half the drink’s character.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Gin
What it is
Juniper-flavoured spirit. London Dry style is the standard for a Negroni – juniper-forward, dry, clean. Around 40-47% ABV.
Why we use it here
Provides the structural backbone and the botanical complexity that the Campari and vermouth wrap around.
Drink Lab pick
Tanqueray London Dry, Beefeater, or Plymouth. Mid-shelf gins in the $25-40 range. Bombay Sapphire works.
Substitute
Bourbon makes a Boulevardier (different drink, same structure). Tequila makes a Tegroni. White rum makes a Kingston Negroni.
Campari
What it is
Italian bitter aperitivo, 25% ABV, made from a proprietary blend of herbs, spices, fruit peel, and bark. Launched in 1860 in Milan.
Why we use it here
The defining bitter, the source of the red colour, and structurally non-negotiable.
Drink Lab pick
Campari original. There is no equivalent.
Substitute
Aperol gives a softer, sweeter, less bitter result (different drink). Cynar gives a darker, more vegetal one. Both work as substitutes; neither is a Negroni.
Sweet Vermouth
What it is
Aromatised fortified wine, 16-18% ABV, infused with herbs and spices. Italian-style is sweeter (rosso); French-style is drier.
Why we use it here
Adds sweetness and complexity. Without it the drink is just gin and Campari.
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
No gin?
Bourbon makes a Boulevardier. Tequila makes a Tegroni. White rum makes a Kingston Negroni. All real drinks, all good.
No Campari?
Aperol (softer, sweeter), Cynar (darker, more vegetal), or any Italian bitter aperitivo. Each makes a recognisable drink.
No sweet vermouth?
Bonal (gentler), Punt e Mes (more bitter). Skip dry vermouth – this drink needs sweetness.
No orange peel?
Lemon peel works at a stretch. The aromatic oils are critical, do not skip the garnish entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Negroni?
Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth – typically 30ml of each. Stirred over ice and strained into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnished with an expressed orange peel.
Is a Negroni strong?
Yes. ABV around 24-28% in the glass, depending on the gin and vermouth used. There is no mixer to dilute, so it hits harder than wine or beer at the same volume.
Why is a Negroni bitter?
The Campari. Campari is one of the most aggressively bitter aperitivos on the market. The bitterness is the entire point of the drink.
Should you shake or stir a Negroni?
Stir. Spirit-forward drinks should never be shaken. Shaking aerates and over-dilutes.
What is the best gin for a Negroni?
London Dry style with clear juniper character – Tanqueray, Beefeater, or Plymouth. Avoid heavily floral or modern gins; they fight the Campari.
What is the difference between a Negroni and a Boulevardier?
The spirit. A Negroni uses gin. A Boulevardier uses bourbon. Same equal-parts structure, completely different character. The Boulevardier is heavier and oakier; the Negroni is brighter and more botanical.
Can you make a Negroni without Campari?
You can, but it stops being a Negroni. Aperol gives a softer, sweeter version. Cynar gives a darker, more vegetal one. Both are good drinks; neither is a Negroni.
Who invented the Negroni?
Count Camillo Negroni, in Florence in 1919, supposedly. He asked his bartender Fosco Scarselli at Café Casoni to strengthen his Americano by swapping the soda for gin.
What food pairs with a Negroni?
Salty, fatty, savoury foods – charcuterie, cheese, olives, anchovies. The bitterness of the drink cuts through richness brilliantly. Bad pairing with sweet food (the bitterness fights it).
DL
From the Drink Lab catalogue
Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.
