We reckon you would be pretty hard pushed trying to find a better Negroni than the one we make with our Botanical Spirit. It’s citrusy, creamy, smooth and not like any other you will have tasted.
THE HISTORY OF THE NEGRONI
Most popular accounts attribute the Negroni’s origins to northern Italy in the early 20th century. While sitting at his local bar in Tornabuoni Street in Florence, Count Camillo Negroni is said to have asked for more of a kick in his Americano (a cocktail with Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water). The bartender granted the Count’s wish by switching out soda water for gin. This became his usual order and so the Negroni was born and quickly began to rise in popularity beyond the city of Florence.
Over a century later, the cocktail is regarded as one of the classiest drinks in the world of cocktails, thanks in part to various references to Negronis in films and literature over the years. It features in Ernest Hemingway’s novel Across the River and Into the Trees, Audrey Hepburn famously served them whilst filming Roman Holiday at her house parties in Rome and James Bond ordered a Negroni when he wasn’t in the mood for a martini.
More recently, Stanley Tucci’s viral video of the Negroni Sbagliato, which switches out the gin for prosecco, sparked a huge new wave of appreciation for the drink. Another reason for its popularity is likely down to the straightforward recipe: equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari served on the rocks.
THE WILD NEGRONI
We call our Negroni the ‘Wild Negroni’. It differs from typical Negronis because instead of gin we use our Botanical Spirit, a fresh, fruity and floral gin alternative with incredible body and texture. The name ‘wild’ represents the unique combination of wild Scottish botanicals in the spirit which add rich and floral flavours. These include hand foraged bog myrtle and heather, plus thyme and sorrel too. But it’s our barley spirit that really makes the difference adding a malty, fruity undertone that plays exceptionally well with our chosen botanicals.
WHY DOES OUR BOTANICAL SPIRIT WORK SO WELL IN A NEGRONI?
In the words of our blender Matt; “the main reason our Botanical Spirit works so well in a Negroni is all down to texture. Gin is usually made with a "neutral alcohol" base, kind of like a blank canvas for botanicals, which has very little viscosity. Our Botanical Spirit on the other hand, uses "New Make" for the base (think un-aged whisky), which is jam-packed full of creaminess and body. This extra texture creates a silky rich version of a Negroni, and with Myrtle as the lead botanical, a delightful citrusy zip to finish”.
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT WILD NEGRONI
WHERE TO TRY OUR WILD NEGRONI
If you would like to try making our Wild Negroni at home, you can buy our Botanical Spirit here.
Various twists of our Wild Negroni can currently be found on these menus across the UK:
The Gate, Glasgow
The Holland, London
Sister Ray, Liverpool
Stray, Manchester
The Watershed, Bristol
Bentleys, London
Black Book, London
The Cocktail Trading Company, London
Shrub, Chester
Ugly Butterfly, Cornwall