Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal parts, stirred: bitter, sweet and strong at once.
What makes it negroni
Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal parts
Stirred over ice, served on a large cube
An orange peel, expressed over the top
Where it comes from
The usual story puts it in Florence around 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano made stronger with gin instead of soda. The details are argued over; the drink isn't.
Equal parts make it easy to remember and hard to perfect — the vermouth's freshness and the dilution decide it.
How it varies
Mezcal negroni
Mezcal for the gin: smoke under the bitterness.
Boulevardier
Bourbon or rye for the gin, often a little heavier on the whiskey.