Southern Orchard Negroni offers a new take on the classic cocktail
Whether it is the cocktail before dinner or a toast to Negroni Week, the classic Campari cocktail delights with its nuanced flavor. With the Southern Orchard Negroni, the flavors blend Italian roots with a cultural reference to the American South.
Every year, Negroni Week celebrates the Italian cocktail. What started as an evolution of the Americano, thanks to a splash of gin, the classic sipper has taken on different forms over the years. From swapping liquors to adding flavors, the foundation of the cocktail allows it to be transformed.
For this year’s Negroni Week, Campari partnered with Red Hands program Tiffanie Barriere, who some people might remember from Drink Masters on Netflix. Barriere’s cocktail, Southern Orchard Negroni celebrates the American South. While it is more complicated than the traditional Negroni recipe, the flavor and concept deserve its sip and moment to contemplate.
Southern Orchard Negroni
Ingredients
1 oz Campari
1 oz apple-infused gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1/4 oz pecan-infused maple syrup
Apple slice, for garnish
Orange twist, for garnish
Apple-infused Gin:
1 cup gin
1 whole Honeycrisp apple, sliced
Cinnamon stick
Pecan-infused Maple Syrup:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
Instructions:
To make the apple-infused gin, add the gin, sliced apple, and cinnamon stick to a jar or container. Let it infuse at room temperature for 24 hours, then strain out the apple slices and cinnamon stick.
To make the pecan-infused maple syrup, follow the same instructions as in the previous recipe.
Fill a mixing glass with ice.
Add Campari, apple-infused gin, sweet vermouth, and pecan-infused maple syrup.
Stir well until chilled, about 30 seconds.
Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora Glass
Garnish with an apple slice and an orange twist
While Barriere’s cocktail recipe is quite complex, anyone can bring a twist to the classic Negroni recipe. It can be as simple as swapping the gin or changing the garnish. Also, adding some additional ingredients can change a significant part of the flavor profile. A splash of coffee, a splash of sparkling wine, or even a dash of bitters, any little change can invite a whole new sipping experience.