With equal parts gin, Aperol and sweet vermouth, this Aperol negroni is a unique spin on a classic cocktail.
When it comes to cocktails, I like to take a traditional drink and put a twist on it - from a black Manhattan to an apple mojito to a cranberry Moscow Mule.
And my latest concoction is an Aperol negroni. A negroni is made with one part gin, vermouth and Campari. But instead of the Campari, I substituted Aperol.
Campari has a bittersweet flavor with notes of orange, cherry, clove and cinnamon where as Aperol is a little sweeter with orange, herbs and a little vanilla flavor.
While the flavor holds its own, the vibrant orange color is just beautiful to look at, making it an easy cocktail everyone will enjoy.
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Ingredient Notes
- Gin - has an herbal flavor marked with citrus and spices which complements the Aperol well. My go-to is Bombay Sapphire.
- Aperol - known for its bright orange hue, its flavor is most closely associated with rhubarb, burnt orange and bitter herbs.
- Sweet vermouth - you want a sweet or semi-sweet vermouth as it contains notes of vanilla, caramel and darker fruits. I like Carpano.
- Orange peel - just used for garnish.
Step-by-Step Photos
Add the ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes and garnish with an orange peel.
FAQs
I mentioned above but a negroni is an Italian cocktail made of equal parts Campari, vermouth and gin. It is usually stirred, not shaken and served in an old fashioned glass with some ice and an orange peel
Aperol is sweeter and less bitter than Campari. It also has lower alcohol content, usually around 11% compared to 25% for Campari.
This is called an Aperol negroni for a reason, but if you don't have it or can't find it, there are a few substitutes that work well, including Contratto Aperitivo, Select Aperitivo and Luxardo Aperitivo.
You want to stir this cocktail as shaken it will add additional liquid from the melting ice.
You usually serve in an old fashioned whiskey glass.
Types of Gin
There are 4 main types of gin, and they all vary slightly in their flavor. Just depends on what you are looking for.
- London Dry - the most common type of gin, which has a strong juniper flavor.
- Plymouth - drier than London Dry and a little more citrus forward.
- Old Tom - has more licorice and is richer in flavor than London Dry.
- Genever - almost no citrus flavor and the richest in flavor of all gins.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use a gin you like as some of the flavor comes from it.
- If you want additional orange flavor, add 1-2 drops of orange bitters. Regan's works well.
- Chill the glass so it remains cold for longer.
Other Cocktail Recipes
If you’ve tried this Aperol negroni or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Aperol Negroni
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1.5 oz Aperol
- 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
- orange peel
Instructions
- Add the gin, Aperol and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes and garnish with an orange peel.
Notes
- Use a gin you like as some of the flavor comes from it.
- If you want additional orange flavor, add 1-2 drops of orange bitters. Regan's works well.
- Chill the glass so it remains cold for longer.
Dan says
Love the color
Lizzie says
Ordinarily, we associate Aperol with summer. Right now, in Boise ID, it's 26-degrees and snowing like all get-out BUT that will not deter us from making a trip to the liquor store to get the gin to make this cocktail tonight. How we happen to be out of gin is a mystery.