Master of Cocktails I Am Not A Negroni

‘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:

Master of Cocktails Gin

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.

Master of Cocktails Chinato 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:

Master of Cocktails Cynar

Master of Cocktails Next Week Ingredients

You’ll be needing these…

List of Ingredients

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.

Master of Cocktails Ice Ball

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.

Master of Cocktails Ice

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.

Master of Cocktails Gin

That goes into our stirring glass, immediately followed by 30ml of the Cocchi Barolo Chinato.

Master of Cocktails Chinato

Finally, 30ml of the Cynar.

Master of Cocktails 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.

Master of Cocktails Smell

Give it a good old stir. A minute or so.

Master of Cocktails Stir

Now strain onto the ice-sphere.

Master of Cocktails Strain

Seeing as this emphatically isn’t a Negroni, we’re going to garnish it with Candied Clementine.

Master of Cocktails Candied Clementine

We’re also going to express an orange twist over it for aroma.

Master of Cocktails Orange Twist

And serve. The name? ‘I am not a Negroni’.

Master of Cocktails I Am Not A Negroni

Enjoy!

 

#6secondcocktails

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.

Master of Cocktails

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.