I took the leap. After looking through a few recipe books and seeing it taunt me page after page as I flipped, I went to the liquor store and bought a bottle of Campari. I thought I would be getting a red digestive with sweet qualities but with a bitter flavor, kind of like earthy sweet vermouth. I was terribly inaccurate with my guess.
I poured half an ounce into a cordial glass and I knew instantly I was going to struggle getting it down. A heavy pine smell greeted me and as I took a sip, it made me shudder. Campari’s description as a ‘digestive bitter’ was accurate by at least half. It is not the delicious, hoppy bitter of an India Pale Ale, but a saliva-inducing, tree-bark flavored kick in the tonsils. My first thought was to pour it down the drain, but I am a glutton for punishment, and I finished it. So, now that I have another 735ml of Campari, I guess I had better try to make it bearable.
Negroni
¾ oz gin
¾ oz Campari
¾ oz sweet vermouth
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
The Negroni is a stronger cousin of the Americano, which uses club soda instead of gin. I used Bombay Sapphire Gin in my Negroni. The twist of orange provides a delightful aroma; so much so that it deceived me into thinking I might like this drink. Even though it is in equal parts with the other ingredients, the taste of Campari is prevalent. The gin (at least the Bombay Sapphire) is not a strong enough flavor to turn the Campari into a complimentary flavor. All in all, I really struggled finishing this drink.
Boulevardier
¾ oz bourbon or rye
¾ oz Campari
¾ oz sweet vermouth
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
The only difference between the Boulevardier and the Negroni is the use of bourbon or rye instead of gin. I used W.L. Weller 12 Year Old whiskey, and the strong bourbon flavor balances this drink better than the lighter gin in the Negroni. It might be that I prefer bourbon to gin, but I will be making another Boulevardier before I make another Negroni.
Have you ever had Campari? A Negroni? A Boulevardier? If you try any of these, leave your thoughts in the comments. As always, I can be reached through Twitter @rebellionwhisky.
