‘sup cocktail fans. Ready for something a bit special for #MasterofCocktails this week? Of course you are. Just so we’re clear though, we’re not making a Negroni. That’s even clarified in the cocktail’s name – I am not a Negroni.
We’re going to be making our drink with fully certified Batshit Mental, Negroni-aged Bathtub Gin. This is the superb Bathtub Gin, aged for 4 months in a 50 litre cask that previously held a batch of Negroni.
For the purposes of colour-comparison:
The construction of the drink is quite simple – we’re drawing on two ingredients that are really quite similar to the Negroni staples of Campari and Sweet Vermouth. Chinato, and Cynar.
The Chinato is an aromatised wine, in the same way as a vermouth, but uses Quinine (Cinchona – hence ‘CHINato’) as the bittering agent instead of the wormwood found in Vermouth (hence VERMouth)… #Etymology
The Cynar is a fantastic (also Italian) Aperitif we’re using in place of the Campari. It takes its flavour from amongst other things, Artichokes. Hence the label image:
You’ll be needing these…
List of Ingredients
- 40ml of Negroni-Aged Bathtub Gin (Batshit Mental Ideas) – Batch 2
- 30ml of Cocchi Barolo Chinato
- 30ml of Cynar Liqueur
- An Orange (Garnish)
- A Candied Clementine Slice (Garnish)
So – first things first, we’re going to remove a beautifully crafted, perfectly clear ice ball from the freezer, made with a Wintersmiths Ice Baller Kit. Leave that in a glass to temper.
Meanwhile – grab a stirring glass, and half-fill with cubed ice. This is for the dilution phase – the ice ball is for the ‘maintenance’ phase later.
So we’ll start with 40ml of the Negroni-Aged Bathtub Gin (Batshit Mental Ideas) – Batch 2 . This is *exactly* as good as it sounds BTW.
That goes into our stirring glass, immediately followed by 30ml of the Cocchi Barolo Chinato.
Finally, 30ml of the Cynar.
The more astute Negroni fans will recognise that this is a bit of a departure from the normal 1:1:1 ratio. Reason being that the Chinato, and the Cynar are both a bit sweeter than their normal counterparts.
The smell is extraordinary. Really reminds me of the Antique Negroni we made a few months back.
Give it a good old stir. A minute or so.
Now strain onto the ice-sphere.
Seeing as this emphatically isn’t a Negroni, we’re going to garnish it with Candied Clementine.
We’re also going to express an orange twist over it for aroma.
And serve. The name? ‘I am not a Negroni’.
Enjoy!
Take a peek at what we’re going to be using for the next #MasterofCocktails. Be sure to tune in on Sunday and play along at home.
Next week, you’ll be needing these…
Hibiki 17 Year Old, Akashi-Tai Shiraume Umeshu, Mozart Chocolate Bitters, Bitter Bastards Sweet Orange Bitters and Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.
Ben.