If you haven’t had the pleasure of getting acquainted with the famed cocktail, you’re in for a treat. The mix of sweet, dry and bitter flavours have made the cocktail a favourite amongst celebrities and suburban homebodies alike, but its likely origins are most closely linked to the elites. No one knows for sure how the Negroni made its way into the popular vernacular, but the common account is that it was birthed, like many great artworks before it, in the Italian city of Florence. Legend has it that in 1919 at Caffè Casoni (formerly Caffè Giacosa), Count Camillo Negroni created what was to be the first iteration of the Negroni recipe by aking the bartender, Fosco Scarselli to strengthen his favourite cocktail, the Americano by adding gin rather than the normal soda. Scarselli, ever the cunning mixologist, decided to add an orange garnish rather than the Americano’s traditional lemon, thus signifying the difference.

What makes the Negroni cocktail such a pivotal and influential drink in the mixologist’s arsenal is the fact that it requires little to no preparation. The three-ingredient wonder is a masterpiece of flavour profiles, blending strong, cutting sharpness with subtle dry notes to create a complex concoction that is as welcoming as it is divisive. According to the International Bartenders Association, the ingredients you need to make the perfect Negroni are;

Whether you have a tried and tested favourite, or you are new to the game, picking the best gin for your Negroni is an integral part of the process. Going for a drier gin will soften the sharpness of the Campari, while a strong proof will add a bit more grunt to the final product. The good news is that there are more quality, accessible gin producers now than ever before. Whatever your preference or price point, you’ll be able to find the ideal flavour combination for you.

Instead of the regular citrus peels and juniper, Hendrick’s Gin highlights a broad range of flavours like rose and cucumber, giving it a subtle lift. Expect sweet and floral flavours to rise to the surface.

One for the whisky drinkers, Four Pillars’ barrel-aged gin is a great middle-ground for dark spirit drinkers making their way into the world of gin.

One of the most iconic gins on the market, Tanqueray is pretty much the gold standard for cocktail making. Even better, this London dry style gin is affordable and a perfect match for your at-home Negroni aspirations.

Maybe this is your first experience making a Negroni, or maybe you’re on the budget end of the drinking spectrum. Either way, Gordon’s London Dry Gin is a decent alternative that provides an entry-level approach to the iconic Negroni cocktail.

This Navy Strength gin is not for the faint of heart. Four Pillars has loaded this botanical gin with 58.8 ABV, making it ideal for cutting through the sharpness of the Campari.

Australian distillery Archie Rose is picking up awards left, right and centre. If you want to give your Negroni recipe an Aussie twist, go for the brand’s signature dry gin and experience 14 traditional native botanicals.

Much like the Negroni ingredients we mentioned above, we called on the International Bartenders Association for a bit of assistance in getting the classic cocktail down-pat. This Negroni recipe has been refined over the years, putting forward the iconic flavours that the Count first called for, in a modern and contemporary way. Best of all, this super simple method doesn’t require any extensive measuring or specialist cocktail gear. Here is the method for making the perfect Negroni cocktail;

Being that the Negroni cocktail was invented (reportedly) back in 1919, the classic cocktail has over 100 years’ worth of heritage on its side. That century’s worth of established success hasn’t stopped amateur mixologists from attempting to rework the Negroni recipe, to varying degrees of success. The common Negroni mistakes you want to avoid have less to do with mixing ingredients, and more about tradition and preparation. For example;