9 Must-Try Negroni Riffs That Redefine the Classic Cocktail

Few cocktails wear bitterness on their sleeve quite as boldly — and as controversially — as the Negroni. The equal-parts mix of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth has attained a near-universal status over the past decade, smashing through the walls of trendy bars and neighborhood dives like the Kool-Aid Man in his 1970s heyday. Countless drinkers have fallen in love with the cocktail’s elegantly simple, amaro-laced bite.

Others claim that it tastes like a glass of crushed bugs.

Wherever you fall, it’s fair to say that the Negroni is long overdue for a shakeup. Below, find nine recommendations that reinterpret the cocktail through a 21st-century lens. So long as you have a mixing glass and a heavy chunk of ice on hand, all are friendly to home mixologists.

1. Negroni Sbagliato

(Photo: Campari)

The Negroni Sbagliato was briefly catapulted to ultra-viral status in mid-2022 thanks to an interview with “House of the Dragon” star Emma D’Arcy. Though the hype has since cooled, the drink it still every bit as captivating as TikTok influencers would have once had you believe. In lieu of gin, the recipe spotlights dry sparkling wine, hence its name, which translates to “mistaken” or “bungled” in Italian.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Prosecco or dry sparkling wine of choice
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. Sweet vermouth
• Orange twist

Directions

1. Fill a glass with ice and pour in the Campari and sweet vermouth.
2. Gently pour the prosecco on top and garnish the cocktail with an orange twist, which has been expressed (bartender speak for gently squeezed) over the drink.

2. White Negroni

(Photo: Cody Chan/Unsplash)

The first thing to know about the Negroni? Forget everything you think you know. Such was the spirit of discovery in 2001, when British bartender Wayne Collins was tasked with recreating the quintessentially Italian recipe using French ingredients. Campari and sweet vermouth find themselves replaced by Lillet Blanc and Cocchi Americano, aperitif wines that imbue a delicately sweet undertone alongside gentle hints of quinine and citrus pith.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz London Dry Gin
• 1 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano

Directions

1. Add gin, Lillet Blanc and Cocchi Americano to a mixing glass with ice, stirring until well chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube, garnishing with lemon twist.

3. HaSalon’s Shuka Negroni

(Photo: HaSalon)

New York City’s HaSalon is one of several eateries taking full advantage of Tomato Girl Summer. Its twist on the concept? A boozy reimagining of shakshuka, a classic Middle Eastern breakfast of poached eggs, stewed tomatoes, peppers, onions and whatever else chefs have lying around in the kitchen sink. Thankfully for mixology aficionados, HaSalon’s sink is awfully large. The restaurant’s wildly adventurous cocktail makes use of Za’atar spice, umami tincture, mezcal and red pepper water for a wallop of everything rich and savory.

Ingredients

• 1 dash Umami tincture
•  4 dashes Za’atar Tincture
•  1/4 oz Smoked Red pepper water
•  1/2 oz Tomato Water
•  1 oz Sweet Vermouth
•  1 oz Campari
•  1 oz Durango Derrumbes Mezcal

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, stirring well until chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a single large ice cube.

4. Mezcal Negroni

(Photo: Osvaldo Romito/Pexels)

Bartenders have repurposed mezcal by way of countless cocktails. Whether it’s the Smoky Margarita, the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, or the Mezcal Mule, Mexico’s second-most-famous spirit has a habit of sneaking its way into beloved drinks with a chameleon-like versatility. Few twists are quite as popular as the Mezcal Negroni. Vegetal flavors of agave and black pepper play excellently off of Campari’s bittersweet edge, transforming this bare-bones recipe into a modern classic for all the right reasons.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Mezcal
• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Directions

1. Add mezcal, sweet vermouth and Campari into a mixing glass with ice, stirring until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

5. Port Sa’id’s Chef’s Negroni

(Photo: Port Sa’id)

Thanks in no small part to the St. Hugo Spritz, elderflower liqueur has begun popping up positively everywhere over the past couple of years. Head chef at New York’s Port Sa’id figured it was high time the flavor found its way into the Negroni. Imagined as a 2025 twist on the White Negroni, the recipe balances out the syrupy bite of St. Germain with gin and dry vermouth. A perfect cocktail for Negroni enjoyers of all ilks, whether they enjoy their drink on the sweet or bitter side.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Gin
•  3/4 oz St. Germain
• 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
• Lemon Peel, for stirred garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients except lemon peel into a mixing glass, stirring well until chilled.
2. Pour into a chilled rocks glass over ice. Express the lemon peel over the drink before stirring it in with a bar spoon.

6. Old Pal

(Photo: Campari Academy)

The Boulevardier — an equal-parts mix of bourbon, sweet vermouth and Campari — is by far the most famous whiskey cocktail in the Negroni-adjacent repertoire. The Old Pal rethinks the finer details with an emphasis on spice. Rye whiskey and dry vermouth add a smooth, laid-back vibe to the experience, dialing down the sometimes overwhelming bite of bourbon with an easygoing kick that demands a second order from the bar.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz Dry Vermouth
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Directions

1. Add the rye whiskey, Campari and dry vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with lemon twist.

7. Rosita

(Photo: Timothé Durand/Unsplash)

Were you to take a basic Negroni and replace gin with tequila, you’d get a decent, if unexciting cocktail. The Rosita, first published in the 1974 edition of Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide, goes the extra mile. A heavy pour of reposado tequila joins forces with both sweet and dry vermouth, adding up to the perfect dose of oh-so-subtle caramelized goodness. It’s the rare Negroni riff that incorporates an aged spirit, and a must-try for anyone growing tired of their nightly margarita ritual.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Campari
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir for 15-20 seconds until chilled.
3. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice and garnish with lemon twist.

8. Conte Camillo Negroni

(Photo: Conte Camillo)

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The broad appeal of the Negroni has ushered in a bucketload of pre-batched options readily available on liquor store shelves. For our money, none hits quite as hard as Conte Camillo. Crafted at the La Valdôtaine distillery in the Italian Alps, the cocktail leads with a big whiff of sweet vermouth character that carries through from palate to finish. Expects flavors of anise, pepper, cherry candies and orange peel, followed by a touch of spiced cocoa on the backend. So long as you don’t mind your Negronis on the sweet side, this is an excellent choice and well worth its asking price of $34.99 for a 700-milliliter bottle.

9. Lapo’s Zero-Proof Negroni

(Photo: Lapos)

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A non-alcoholic Negroni was bound to find its way onto the list. Rather than suggest three zero-proof options that could be combined into one, we figured we’d cut straight to the point with a single recommendation at a fraction of the price. In enters Lapo’s. The Atlanta-based startup has perfected the science of mocktails with its beautifully packaged Non Alcoholic Negroni. Rich flavors of cinnamon, rhubarb and crisp apple dominate the palate, enveloped in a thick mouthfeel that leaves its watery, zero-proof contemporaries in the dust. The finish crescendos with a healthy serving of cloves — a fascinating approximation of a “spicy finish” otherwise impossible without the presence of alcohol. The brand also offers a nonalcoholic Campari alternative that’s well worth checking out. For an unboozy take on a thoroughly boozy classic, Lapo’s Negroni costs $19.99 per four-pack.