Rosita Cocktail: An Unpretentious Tequila-Tuned Twist on the Negroni

(Photo: Timothé Durand/Unsplash)

From the Aperol Spritz to the Negroni Sbagliato, Italian aperitifs had their viral moment in 2023. At one point over the summer, it seemed like there wasn’t a bar, brunch spot or Instagram feed in sight lacking bright red cocktails garnished with comedically oversized orange wedges.

Trends have since shifted toward the espresso martini and other up-and-coming favorites. Bottles of Campari and Aperol, however, are still aplenty on bar carts across the country.

If you’re hoping to use up your reserves, look no further than the delicately named Rosita cocktail. Equal parts sweet, dry and spicy, this riff on the Negroni packs a little something for all kinds of drinkers.

Though its exact origins are debated, the cocktail’s resurgence is widely credited to prolific drinks writer Gary “Gaz” Regan. According to Gaz, the recipe was introduced to him by fellow drinks writer Terry Sullivan, who himself discovered the recipe in Gaz’s 1991 cocktail book The Bartender’s Bible. The circle of life — or rather, cocktails — on full display.

Gaz passed away in 2019, leaving behind a legacy of nearly 20 books, endless drinks columns and thousands of now-iconic cocktail recipes. In Gaz’s honor, let’s dig into one of his most famous tequila concoctions.

The Rosita combines lightly aged tequila and bittersweet Campari with both dry and sweet vermouth, a simple mix with gobs of flavorful complexity. Spiced up with a dash of bitters, the cocktail is recognizably Negroni-esque but takes on a personality entirely its own.

Without further ado:

The Rosita

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 old fashioned glass filled with ice and garnish with lemon twist.

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