The Negroni is an Italian cocktail that turns up on drinks menus all over the world and it's usually served as an aperitif before dinner. Its bitterness is the whole point because it wakes up the appetite. We swap the gin for Beeble Honey Whisky and call the result a Beegroni. The honey adds a hint of sweetness to a drink that can be hard going for some people while the strength and depth stay exactly where they were.
What goes in ours
- 50ml Beeble Honey Whisky
- 25ml Campari
- 25ml sweet vermouth
- Ice
- A strip of orange peel
That's twice as much whisky as Campari or vermouth. We like it that way because the whisky has enough body to stand up to both of them. A classic Negroni uses equal parts so if you've made one before this will taste rounder and less sharp from the first sip.
How we make it
Everything goes into a mixing glass filled with ice and we stir until the outside of the glass is properly cold. It takes around half a minute. The stirring does two jobs at once because it chills the drink and adds a little water from the melting ice which softens the Campari. We strain it into a rocks glass over fresh ice and finish with the orange peel.
Ingredients:
- 50ml Beeble Honey Whisky
- 25ml Campari
- 25ml Sweet Vermouth
- Ice
- Orange peel
Method:
- Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass
- Stir until chilled and slightly diluted
- Strain into a rocks glass over ice
- Garnish with an orange peel
Here's the video.
The orange peel
Cut a wide strip with a vegetable peeler and try to leave the white pith behind because it tastes bitter. Squeeze the peel over the glass with the skin facing the drink and a fine mist of oil lands on top. We run it around the rim before dropping it in so the orange is the first thing you smell every time you lift the glass.
If you find the Campari strong try dropping it to 20ml and see how that feels. If you'd like it sweeter go up to 30ml of vermouth. We'd change one thing per glass so you can tell which version you liked best.
Ice helps too. Small cubes melt quickly and the drink goes thin halfway through while one large cube holds the flavour for much longer. If you have a mould for big cubes this is a good drink to use it for.
When we drink it
This is an early evening drink that suits the hour before dinner. We'd have it with salty things like olives or roasted almonds because salt softens the bitterness and makes the orange taste brighter.
It's easy to make for friends as well. For four drinks you need 200ml of whisky with 100ml each of Campari and vermouth. We'd stir two glasses at a time so the mixing glass never gets overcrowded.
Whats next
If you'd like something brighter the Whisky Bees Knees pairs the same bottle with fresh lemon. For a slower stirred serve there's our honey whisky Old Fashioned.
