It is probably an adaptation of the lighter Italian favorite Americano cocktail, which is a mix of Campari and red vermouth diluted with soda water.
The origin of this cocktail are still debated but the most accredited story is that reported in Luca Picchi’s book “Sulle tracce del Conte. La vera storia del cocktail Negroni. – On the paths of the Count. The true story of the Negroni cocktail.”
After a trip to London, Count Camillo Negroni, a regular guest of Caffe’ Casoni (today called Caffe’ Giacosa and property of fashion stylist Roberto Cavalli) in Via de’ Tornabuoni, Florence, asked his trusted bartender Fosco Scarselli to boost his normal Americano substituting soda water with gin.
To distinguish it from the Americano, Fosco bartender decided to garnish it with half orange slice instead of the usual lemon peel. Since then, the Negroni cocktail became “il solito – the usual” for Count Camillo Negroni and just “Negroni” for everybody else.
After a trip to London, Count Camillo Negroni, a regular guest of Caffe’ Casoni (today called Caffe’ Giacosa and property of fashion stylist Roberto Cavalli) in Via de’ Tornabuoni, Florence, asked his trusted bartender Fosco Scarselli to boost his normal Americano substituting soda water with gin.
To distinguish it from the Americano, Fosco bartender decided to garnish it with half orange slice instead of the usual lemon peel. Since then, the Negroni cocktail became “il solito – the usual” for Count Camillo Negroni and just “Negroni” for everybody else.
There is a different theory attributing the invention of the Negroni cocktail to General Pascal Olivier de Negroni. While visiting the military officer’s club of St. Augustin just before the First World War, the General had the idea of this concoction.
Independently of the story you want to believe, the Negroni cocktail can be personalized and made special with a touch of MONIN. To flavour your Negroni, I suggest you substitute part of the vermouth with your choice of MONIN syrup or liqueur.
