Red Vermouth Cocktails: London Negroni 

It is well known that the Negroni is named after Count Camillo Negroni, who asked his barman to stiffen his Americano.. What they don’t say is that the Count told barman, Fosco Scarselli to fortify his drink with gin in honour of London.

To truly honour London, make your Negroni with double our vermouth and half the Campari for a more nuanced & balanced experience.

Ingredients:

·         60ml The London Vermouth Company No.2 Camille’s Red

·         30ml genuine London Dry Gin

We like using Victory Gin from Bermondsey as it is slightly sweet and dangerously smooth due to its cold distilling process with a beautiful aroma of orange and spices on the nose. Alternatives include Portobello Road No. 171 (down the road from us) is flavoured with nine natural botanicals, including juniper, citrus, cassia and nutmeg delivering deep flavours that complement the other elements of the cocktail. Alternatively East London Liquor Premium Gin Batch 2 is made with botanicals including juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, thyme, winter savoury, fennel seed, orris root, lavender, lemon peel, sage and bay leaf allegedly designed as a Negroni ingredient.

·         15ml Campari

·         (Blood) Orange Peel

Method:

- Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, and stir until perfectly chilled

- Strain into a lo-ball glass filled with ice

- Squeeze orange peel over the glass to release its oils and then place on the rim

- Or simply drop in an orange segment in and stir a little.

Note: Do not use a shaker as Toby Cecchini from the NYT says "There are only two drinks I insist not be shaken, the Manhattan and the Negroni. The bubbles and ice shards that give zest to some cocktails would mar the Negroni's sanguine limpidity. That first sip should be like drinking from a cool brook that happened to perambulate past a spice bazaar on its route."