HOW TO MAKE A CLASSIC NEGRONI COCKTAIL Easy to make and refreshingly bitter, the Negroni is said to have been invented in Florence by a dauntless Italian count who demanded that the bartender replace the club soda in his Americano with gin. It was a substitution that launched a thousand riffs. In its hundred-year history, few cocktails have encouraged more frenzied experimentation than the beloved Negroni. Its one-to-one-to-one recipe of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth has become the platform on which generations of drink mixers have left their thumbprint. But how do you mix the perfect version? Start by selecting the right base materials. The key to a great Negroni is finding a gin-vermouth pairing that complements, rather than overpowers, the bitter, bold flavors of Campari. Once you zero in on a winning trio, write it down, memorize it, and request it at your favorite bar. You’ll make the count proud.