It’s no secret that my favourite drink is the Negroni. It’s like the proverbial fried rice; simple, delicious, and deceptively difficult to make. This love for the classic cocktail, naturally, translates to a love for Negroni Week, a celebration of all things Negroni.
Oh, and just a heads-up, it’s on right now.
It’s not quite my first Negroni Week, but unusual circumstances call for unusual solutions, and 2020 might be the mother of all unusual circumstances. In the sixth year of Negroni Week, which runs from 14th to 20th September, there will be very different options for enjoying one of the world’s favourite cocktails, many of which don’t involve stepping out of the home.
Negronis at the Bar
Like every year before, bars will be offering their takes on the Negroni. Unfortunately, this year, a smaller stable of 12 establishments will be participating in total.
That said, some of this year’s offerings do sound delectable. MO Bar’s Nomadic Forager is a coffee-inspired take on the classic, with Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Coffee Liqueur providing a caffeine kick. The Polem Negroni by Dr Stravinisky at Manhattan emphasises the citrus connection by adding in Bergamot liqueur.
The full list below:
- Anti:Dote: Savile Row Negroni
- Bar MF by Burger & Lobster: Lavender Negroni
- Barbary Coast: Cured Negroni
- Employees Only: Aged Negroni
- Manhattan: Polem Negroni by Dr Stravinsky
- MO Bar: Nomadic Forager
- Origin Bar: Chocolate Aged Rum Negroni
- Publico: Smoked Olive Negroni
- Shin Gi Tai: BE REAL
- Smoke & Mirrors: Bananas in a Glass
- Tess Bar & Kitchen: L’amour Bonito
- The Bar at 15 Stamford: Stamford House Negroni
Negronis at Home
Now, if you’re still a little leery of stepping out of the home, I’ve got a tutorial on how to make your own Negroni right here. Basically, combine equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth in a glass and stir with ice, then garnish with an orange.
Should you be looking for something a little different, you can try making Boulevardiers instead; similar to the Negroni, except that the gin is swapped out for bourbon or rye. Boulevardiers tend to be a little sweeter, a little woodier and a little spicier than the classic Negroni.
The process of making a Boulevardier is pretty much the same as the original: stir all three components together over ice, and garnish with a slice of orange. The proportions are slightly different: I like 1.5 Bourbon: 1 Campari: 1 Red Vermouth, but hey- it’s your drink, adjust it to your own tastes. For the truly adventurous, the Mezcalgroni, and the Rumgroni await.
If stirring up Negronis personally seems like a little too much trouble, there’s a new Ready-to-Enjoy Campari available. The bottled cocktail can simply be stored in the fridge and poured over ice when one wishes to enjoy aperitivo hour. If you’re interested, you can check them out on Redmart or Cold Storage, where they’re available for $38 (down from the usual $45) right now. If you’re not used to the bitterness, I suggest diluting the RTE version slightly.
Finally, if you’re looking for Negronis in non-liquid form, you can try out bonbons that were created for Negroni week. In partnership with chocolatier Benns Ethicoa, two types of bonbons were created: a classic and a Bianco (white) variant. If this sounds like something you might like, you’ll be glad to know that Campari will pledge a dollar to charity for every box of bonbons sold.
Negronis for Charity
Negroni Week has always been part cocktail celebration, part charity event, and I think that this year, it’s even more important to remember the charity component.
This year’s charity is the Majulah Movement, a home-grown initiative that supports migrant friends, elderly from low income families, healthcare frontliners and the F&B industry. Through a donation of $10, one will cover the cost of 1-2 meals or snack packs. Personally, I think it’s a good choice; while we’re enjoying some great drinks, it seems appropriate to ensure that others can at least enjoy a square meal.
If you’re interested in helping out the Majulah Movement directly, you can head down their site here. If not, you can also purchase the Negroni bonbons; Campari will pledge a dollar to the Majulah Movement for each box sold.
