Negroni Week starts today. The 30BB Team susses out some slurpalicious Negronis for you to try at home.

Starting today (from September 18-24, 2023), bars and restaurants around the globe will come together to celebrate the iconic Negroni, which has taken the world of cocktails by storm in the last few years.

The Negroni, which is traditionally crafted with Gin, Vermouth, and Campari, has hundreds of variations now, where the gin is replaced with other spirits. For example, when it’s Prosecco or sparkling white wine, it becomes the popular Negroni sbagliato (dubbed the ‘mistaken Negroni’), and when it’s whiskey, it’s the Boulevardier, and when it’s Pisco.

Campari India has kicked off its #BartenderHandshakeChallenge today, wherein they have to conjure up Negronis with their own special twist and the ones with the highest number of Negroni sales at their establishment throughout Negroni Week will win some fab prizes.

History of the Negroni

While there isn’t any record of the drink’s origins, most people believe that it was first mixed in Florence, Italy, in 1919. The story goes that someone from the Negroni family asked the bartender at a certain Caffè Casoni to strengthen the standard Americano (which had equal parts Campari and sweet red vermouth with a splash of soda) by adding gin. The mixologist put in a twist of orange peel instead of the customary lemon to signify it was a different drink. When this cocktail was well received, the Negroni family founded the Negroni Distillerie in Treviso, Italy, to manufacture a readymade version of the drink, which they sold under the name Antico Negroni.

The Negroni has even been written about by author Orson Welles, who is said to have quipped that since the bitters are excellent for your liver, and the gin is bad for you, they balance each other. Several bars across the world and in India are Negroni-forward. Some, like Native Bombay, are fully Negroni-focussed!

Wherever you are, this is a good week to sample some innovative Negronis or whip up your own. Here are four to offer you some inspiration…

Curry Leaf Negroni

An ode to South India, this Negroni involves fresh curry leaves infused in sweet vermouth for 24 hours. The curry leaf garnish ties the whole drink together, bringing out fresh green flavours and making it the perfect cocktail to enjoy during the summer.
Created by: RCB Bar & Café, Bengaluru

Jamocha Negroni

Creating the perfect Jamocha Negroni is an art that requires balance. It is made by blending coffee-infused rum, vermouth, and Aperol in equal parts, and delicately stirred with ice to achieve ideal dilution. To pay homage to its classic roots, savour it in an old-fashioned glass, and garnish with an orange peel.
Created by: Maka Zai Rum

Chamomile Negroni

PCO’s Chamomile Negroni is a perfect blend of luscious chamomile and bitter-sweet aperitif. And, in a lesson in sustainability, the cocktail features a Van Gogh-inspired isomalt candy, made from leftover chamomile flowers and citrus peels. A drink that not only tastes good but also looks beautiful!
Created by: PCO, Delhi

Marmite Negroni

This Marmite-infused Negroni is barrel-aged for two weeks. You’ll either hate the audacious result or be craving its intense and bold flavours all the time! We’re betting it’s the latter.
Created by: Native Bombay, Mumbai