Lillet Negroni is an excellent variation from your traditional Negroni. It’s Negroni Week September 14th through the 20th, che figata! One of my favorite cocktails anytime is a classic Negroni. I’ve posted the original recipe here on my site and this incredible Coffee Negroni, which is absolutely fantastic. This year I thought I would add one of my favorite additions to any cocktail, Lillet. Instead of the sweet vermouth that is usually part of this bitter and yet addictive cocktail, Lillet actually mellows the flavor of a Negroni. Lillet makes this cocktail sublime. Of course, I used my favorite Gin Spring44 in this delicious cocktail. Because of Campari being part of Negroni Week, of course, I used this fantastic aperitif to make this Lillet Negroni.
The Negroni’s origins are still up for debate. There seem to be several theories. All of which involve different branches of the Negroni family tree. Each of them involves an old family member with Count in the sir name. All of them have big holes in the family stories. One thing is for sure: somewhere in the early 20th century, someone took an Americano, a popular drink in the mid to late 1800s consisting of Campari, Sweet Vermouth, and soda water. They replaced the soda water with something more potent, and the Negroni was born. It has been popular ever since. Even celebrities like Orsen Wells wrote about how much they loved this bitter yet refreshing and compelling cocktail. When he was filming “Black Magic” in Rome in 1947, Wells said that “The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other.”
Imbibe Magazine launched Negroni Week in 2013 as a celebration of one of the world’s great cocktails. This charity event started as an effort to raise money for causes around the world. In normal times bars and restaurants would contribute part of the sales from Negronis to charities. Since 2013, now partnered with Campari, Negroni Week has grown from about 120 participating venues to over 12,000 venues worldwide. To date, they have collectively raised nearly $3 million for charitable causes. This year, because of Covid-19, they have organized a virtual event. There are of 13 charities helping the hospitality industry during these extremely difficult times to choose from. Please consider donating to one of the charities through the Negroni Week website Here. Times are hard for many of us, but some of the most vulnerable industries are the hospitality industry. Yes, some restaurants are open and making ends meet. But many bars, restaurants, and catering businesses will not survive this crisis, putting many employees in desperate situations.
As with all Negronis, The Lillet Negroni should be stirred, not shaken. Stirring gently dilutes the cocktail and creates a lovely cold drink without the little shards and violent shaking that a cocktail shaker imparts. To stir a cocktail, you need several large ice cubes in a bar pitcher (I have this beautiful one available from Mixologist on Amazon). Add the cocktail ingredients and sir the concoction for 20 to 30 seconds before pouring it into a lowball or single old-fashioned glass filled with one large ice cube. If you don’t have a pitcher, you can even use a 2-cup measuring cup to approximate the size of a bar pitcher. The best ice cubes to use for a Negroni are the big square ones you can make from big ice cube trays. They are worth getting one or two for stirred cocktails or for a glass of whisky. The larger ice cubes don’t melt so quickly and keep a cocktail cold for a long period of time. It is great for a cocktail such as a Lillet Negroni, which you want to sip slowly.
I hope everyone is staying safe and smart out there. Be mindful of others in these difficult times. And Donate to Negroni Week if you can. Here is the link again.
- 1 oz Lillet
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz spring 44 gin
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 1 nice piece of orange peel pith removed
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Place one large ice cube into a single old fashioned, low ball, or other straight-sided glass that is 4 inches or so tall. If you don't have large ice cubes, fill the glass halfway with small cubes. Large ice cubes are preferred for this cocktail, but in a pinch, small ones will do.
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Combine the Lillet, Campari, Gin, and the dashes of orange bitters in a bar pitcher or even a 2-cup measuring cup place several ice cubes. Large ice cubes are preferred for this cocktail. But if you don't have large ice cubes, use the smaller ones.
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Using a bar spoon or any long spoon, stir the cocktail for 20 – 30 seconds. Stir the cocktail for half as much to not dilute as much if using small ice cubes.
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Pour into the ice-filled glass.
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Twist the orange peel over the cocktail to release some of the oil from the rind.
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Place the peel into the cocktail and serve.
