Blood Orange Negroni
A seasonal Negroni built on gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, lifted with a generous splash of fresh blood orange juice and a long orange peel.
Ingredients
- 30 ml London dry gin
- 30 ml sweet red vermouth
- 30 ml Campari
- 20 ml fresh blood orange juice
- 1 large blood orange peel — to garnish
Method
- Add the gin, sweet vermouth, Campari and blood orange juice to a mixing glass filled with ice.
- Stir for fifteen to twenty seconds until well chilled and properly diluted.
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass containing one large ice cube.
- Express a long blood orange peel over the surface, rub it around the rim and drop it in.
- Pause for a few seconds before the first sip to let the aroma settle on top.
How to serve
- Glassware
- Rocks glass
- Serve temperature
- Cold
- Garnish
- Blood orange peel
The Negroni is famously stubborn. Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari over ice, with an orange twist, full stop. Tinker too far and you simply have a different drink. The Blood Orange Negroni resists that temptation; the classic three-part structure stays intact, and the seasonal twist comes from a measured splash of fresh blood orange juice that deepens the colour and softens the bitterness just enough to feel wintry.
Blood oranges arrive in northern hemisphere markets just as the rest of the citrus year is winding down, which makes this Negroni a small celebration of late-winter produce.
Tips
Use juice from blood oranges that feel heavy for their size and have a deep crimson tint when cut. Stirring, not shaking, is essential here; shaking would over-aerate the drink and dull both the bitterness of the Campari and the fruit of the juice. One large, slow-melting ice cube keeps the cocktail at the right strength for longer than several small ones.
A note on Hot Apple Gin
If you enjoy gin-based cocktails that show off the season, you might also like exploring a warm option for the same menu. Hot Apple Gin keeps gin in a leading role but pivots from bitter citrus to baked apple and gentle spice. The two drinks sit nicely side by side at a winter gathering: one chilled, ruby and a touch bitter, the other warm, amber and softly fragrant.
Variations
Swap the gin for a barrel-aged London dry to add a touch of vanilla. A bar spoon of Aperol in place of part of the Campari lightens the cocktail for guests new to bitter drinks. A dash of cardamom bitters works surprisingly well and threads a quiet warmth through the glass.
Frequently asked questions
How much blood orange juice can I add?
Twenty millilitres is the sweet spot. Add much more and the cocktail loses its Negroni backbone, becoming closer to a Garibaldi with gin.
Which vermouth works best?
A classic Italian sweet vermouth such as Carpano Antica or Cocchi Torino stands up well to Campari and lets the blood orange come through clearly.
Can I batch this in advance?
Yes for the spirits but not the juice. Pre-mix gin, vermouth and Campari in equal parts in the fridge, then add fresh blood orange juice and ice at the moment of serving.
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