The best bars in the UK to celebrate Negroni Week 2021

: Over the last decade the Negroni has soared in popularity to become one of the world’s most famous cocktails. It is a stalwart of cocktail menus the world over, the fourth most searched cocktail in the UK1, and consistently the #2 best-selling classic cocktail worldwide2.

After more than 100 years of the Negroni – an iconic mix of CAMPARI, gin and sweet red vermouth – CAMPARI is celebrating Negroni Week 2021 by shining a light on the country’s finest bartending talent whilst providing cocktail fans the opportunity to enjoy these twists in some of the country’s best bars.

With the evolution of the Negroni front of mind, CAMPARI UK has invited 11 leading bartenders and mixologists from bars across the nation to showcase their creative expression with a unique twist on the classic recipe.

CAMPARI has compiled a list of these top Negroni twists, and as part of Negroni Week, bars up and down the country will be serving special promotions so you can try these innovative takes on the world-famous cocktail.

THE BEST TWISTS TO TRY THIS NEGRONI WEEK

Columbina By Alex Mills, Lab 22 (Cardiff)

22 Caroline St, Cardiff CF10 1FG

This cocktail is a very simple and replicable drink that sits somewhere between the Paloma and Negroni. The name Columbina means ‘little dove’, and it alludes to the Paloma and the capricious character of the Commedia dell’arte tradition.

Macaroni By Iain Mcpherson, Panda & Sons (Edinburgh)

79 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4NF

A cocktail for all seasons, marrying Scotland with Italy. The scotch references Scotland, while the elderberry liqueur mimics a full-bodied red wine for a flavour that is similar to a Boulevardier, but with the addition of a long, juicy, berry finish.

Conte Cedroni By Eleonora Biason, Scarfes Bar (London)

Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

This cocktail is an elegant, crisp and clean, low alcohol version of the Negroni, where CAMPARI marries its aromatic flavours with the home-made fermented spicy tangerine wine. The dry flavour, and the extra citrus notes, are enhanced by the Acqua di Cedro Nardini.

Aperitivo Hour Negroni by Karl Stanley, Science & Industry (Manchester)

49, 51 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1NA

This cocktail is designed to transport you to the heart of Milan. It encapsulates the emotion and experience of sitting by the steps of the Duomo di Milano, observing life surrounding the piazza, taking in the aromas of the cured meats, the pastries and classic Italian dishes served at Aperitivo hour. Yum!

Red Romeo by Alessandro Palazzi, The Dukes Hotel (London)

35 St James’s Pl, St. James’s, London SW1A 1NY

The Red Romeo is a shaken cocktail; a twist on both the ingredients and method of the classic Negroni. The powerful red colour remains consistent, driven by the crucial ingredient of CAMPARI. The cocktail is sweet and approachable with flavours of passionfruit and raspberry. And of course, the name Romeo is a nod to the romantic men of Italy!

Caffe Cooler by Mal Spence, Kelvingrove Café (Glasgow)

1161 Argyle St, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TB

This long, refreshing cooler retains the dry bitterness of the Negroni, while introducing a crisp and refreshing sweetness. Taking the three equal parts of the Negroni template, it also acknowledges other Italian Aperitivo classics: the Boulevardier with the scotch, the Bellini with the peach vermouth, and the Americano with the soda.

Lost In Negroni by Giulia Cuccurullo, The Artesian (London)

1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA

With its oriental-inspired aromas, woody and flowery notes, and CAMPARI’s body and long finish, this cocktail is designed to take you somewhere exotic. It represents the spirit of CAMPARI as something exclusive and iconic – an almost secret society with its connections to the arts and artists, filmmakers and designers, untouched through the years!

Moriles Negroni By Celia Bugallo, Kwant (London)

25 Heddon St, London W1B 4BH

The cocktail is inspired by and created using ingredients from Córdoba and the Montilla-Moriles DO region, with the most outstanding examples of Pedro Ximenez wines. It proposes a new way to enjoy the Negroni, with the cold and highly refreshing recipe working perfectly in the summer heat.

Depero’s Negroni by Matteo Basso, The Gibson (London)

44 Old St, London EC1V 9AQ

Inspired by the artist Fortunato Depero whom CAMPARI worked extensively with, this cocktail enhances the ingredients according to the Italian futurist’s way of drinking. The ingredients are classic Negroni parts but with CAMPARI as the protagonist, balanced by a savoury shrub in The Gibson’s style.

Maiden Voyage by Andrei Pantiru, Disrepute (London)

4 Kingly Ct, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW

This cocktail is a fragrant and flavourful rendition of the classic Negroni. It is a metaphorical journey from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to Jamaica via Martinique as a way of encapsulating the romance of travel. With a hint of sun and sea, the cocktail makes a perfect drink to enjoy watching the sunset on-board a sail catamaran.

Coconut & Lime Negroni by Jeremy Pascal, Opium (London)

15-16 Gerrard St, London W1D 6JE

This cocktail has been inspired by South Asian cuisine, where coconut is supreme. The infusion of CAMPARI and lime zest is designed to enhance the silky flavours of the coconut, while the fat washing process helps maintain a clear and delicately flavourful cocktail.

These imaginative modern riffs have been compiled into Negroniology, CAMPARI UK’s first-ever Negroni anthology – released to commemorate Negroni Week 2021 and available for people to download for free at https://lavitacampari.com/negroniology

Negroni recipe ingredients:

· 25ml CAMPARI

· 25ml Sweet Red Vermouth (CAMPARI recommends 1757 Vermouth di Torino)

· 25ml Gin (CAMPARI recommends BULLDOG Gin)

Negroni recipe instructions:

· Pour all ingredients directly into a rocks glass filled with ice

· Stir gently

· Garnish with an orange slice