Mezcal Negroni Recipe

This post is going to show you how to make a smooth Mezcal Negroni!

The Negroni is a classic cocktail that was created in the early 1900’s in Florence, Italy. This cocktail is simplistic in its build with only three ingredients, but bold in its flavors and color. The original Negroni consists of equal parts Gin, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth.

Overtime, riffs of the Negroni have been appearing all over the globe! Every year there is an international Negroni Week which highlights new and old creations! This year in 2023 Negroni week takes place from September 18th-24th.

The recipe I am showing you today is an original Sweet Recipe of mine! It is actually being showcased on the menu during Negroni Week at the bar I work at in San Diego. I am very excited to share with you all a deliciously smooth Mezcal Negroni that will have you enjoying every sip until the last drop! Lets get right to it, I call this :

“Vaso de Humo”

What You Will Need

Alcohol:

We will be making a mezcal Negroni, so of course we will be needing some mezcal! I have chosen to use Vago Espadin, Emigdio Jarquin Ramirez. This particular mezcal is distilled using a Refrescador! This gives the mezcal a funky and unique flavor. Vago mezcal changes the color of their labels for the different ways each mezcal of theirs is distilled. I love the balance of smoke and smoothness in this mezcal. You will get heat, citrus, vanilla, floral, and pepper notes on the palate. This mezcal is perfect for sipping on the rocks or in this case incorporating into a delicious cocktail! I picked up my bottle at Total Wine and More but you can also find it at Bevmo and some select Liquor Stores. Definitely get a bottle for your home bar ASAP!

For this next ingredient we will be sticking to the OG negroni recipe and include some Campari! Campari is an ultimate Italian classic! Most known for its appearances in the Negroni and the Americano, Campari dates all the way back to 1860. This liqueur is quite bitter, but it is full of herbaceous, orange, and spicy notes. I personally had to warm up to Campari over the years. In the early days it would nearly put me in a coma from one sip, but these days I find it’s bitter warm sip endearing. The silky orange notes in this cocktail enhance the mezcal beautifully. Every home bar should have a bottle of this amazing liqueur! I picked up my bottle at Total Wine and More, but you can find this at almost any Grocery Store, Bevmo, or Liquor Store.

The next liqueur to be featured in this mezcal Negroni is Amaro Averna! This has to be one of the most delicious amaro’s I have ever had in my entire life! It also happens to be one of the most famous Amaro’s out of Italy. The original recipe was created by monks in the 1800’s and gifted to a man named Salvatore Averna. His son and wife really took the company and had it start mass producing! Today it is still made in Sicily and bottled up at Campari in Milan. Averna is thick and bittersweet with notes of caramel, vanilla, anise, and sage.

This is such a great amaro to have on deck at home! It’s versatile and also great just over ice. I personally think it tastes like a sweet treat! I got my bottle at Total Wine and More, but you can also find this at Bevmo and some select Liquor Stores!

The last delicious liqueur we will be using is Amaro Meletti! Meletti is another amaro that is full of secretive and historic flavor. Meletti has a bitterness but it comes with an ease on the palate. It is rich with notes of caramel, saffron, citrus, anise, herbs, and more! This amaro really enhances this mezcal Negroni with it’s herbaceous light kick. It lifts the cocktail and really marries a lot of the flavors together. This amaro is really fun one to have on deck for fall cocktails, to sip on the rocks, or enjoy with some soda water! I got my bottle at Total Wine and More, but you can find this at Bevmo and some select Liquor Stores!

Bar Supplies:

The first bar item you will need is a Mixing Glass! Mixing glasses are used to stir cocktails rather than shake them. You usually do this with spirit forward cocktails that contain no citrus. Stirring a cocktail in a mixing glass helps maintain bold flavors with a silky smooth texture. You are diluting the cocktail a little less compared to when you shake it so all of those flavorful notes stay very prominent! You can check out a mixing glass just like mine right HERE!

When using a mixing glass, you will need something to mix with. That’s where a Bar Spoon comes in! A bar spoon is a necessity for a home bar, especially when you’re making cocktails in a mixing glass. Bar spoons help you stir a cocktail until they become just diluted enough to strain.

In the photo above I am using my ring and middle finger to balance the bar spoon in my hand. I am using my thumb and index finger to guide the spoon around the circumference of the mixing glass. You always want the back of the spoon to be facing outwards towards the glass. This helps gain momentum and gives you a rhythm as you stir. This is quite an easy technique that you should be able to get down with ease after a little practice!

I like to stir my cocktails until there is condensation on the outside of the glass. You can check out a bar spoon just like mine right HERE!

You will also be needing a way to measure the liquid ingredients that will be added into this mezcal Negroni. That is where you will be needing a bar Jigger! A jigger is a tool used to assure a cocktail is always balanced, beautiful, and consistent! My jigger in the photo above ranges from 1/4 oz to 2 oz. I always use my jigger because I truly feel that if something is off by just a bit, it will change the composition and experience of the cocktail. If you would like to check out a jigger just like mine you can do so right HERE!

I also must admit that when I was first starting getting into the cocktail world I used a more simplified jigger. This jigger really helped me gain confidence in my pours. It has only one side, a pour spout, and easy to read measurement lines! If you’re just starting and wanting to ease into your skills I highly recommending check this jigger out right HERE!

Since we are using a mixing glass for our cocktail we will need a Julep Strainer! The julep strainer tucks easily into the top of the mixing glass to hold back all of the ice as you pour your cocktail into your glassware. Make sure you have a firm grip on your mixing glass with your thumb as you hover above your delicate glass. If you want a julep strainer just like mine check out this link RIGHT HERE!

One of my favorite parts of all Negroni’s is the spritz of a fruit peel you add at the end. You taste with your nose first and there’s nothing better than inhaling freshly spritzed citrus before your first sip of a flavorful cocktail. The fruit that is used to spritz with will enhance the notes in the cocktail and prepare you for a genuine experience. This mezcal Negroni is spritzed with an orange peel which brings the flavors to life!

To get this large peel of an orange you will want to use a Y-Peeler! These little tools are great and easy to use. Just remember to be careful and make sure your hands are always stable cause these bad boys are SHARP! Trust me, it’s not fun to get cut by one of these guys so always make sure to peel away from your fingers.

You can check out a y-peeler identical to my own right HERE!

I also must mention that you will need ICE. Lots of people have fridges with an ice dispenser which is perfect for you to use. Alas, if you do not have accessible fridge ice, AKA ME, you will have to freeze your own! I use a silicone perfect ice cube tray. You can find an identical one that comes with a LID right HERE! I am lucky enough to have a cocktail store near me as well that  carries perfect ice in every size but that is not always the most affordable option. I would still suggest you check if any such stores exist near your location! Although a little more pricey, definitely worth it in quality!!!

If you’re interested in large square ice cube molds you can check out an excellent option right HERE!

I do recommend that if you are starting to create multiple cocktails at home, you should invest in your own personal Bartending Kit. Most come with everything you will need as a beginner while others provide several items for more complex creations. I will put links to both a beginners set, and a more advanced set on Amazon below!

Beginners Kit : HERE

Advanced Kit : HERE

Let’s Build!