The Negroni del Marinaio conquers Italy
The Negroni del Marinaio is the latest great twist on the iconic cocktail. Created ten years ago by Flavio Angiolillo and Co, drink by drink it has won over all of Italy
We all know the Negroni, the famous cocktail made with bitter, vermouth and gin that holds a special place in the hearts of Italians and drinkers worldwide. Born in Florence around the 1920s, it went on to conquer the globe. It is so iconic that it has inspired countless variations over the years, catering to every palate and all widely appreciated. But in the 1970s, an accidental slip led to a small revolution in the cocktail world when Mirko Stocchetto, bartender at Milan’s Bar Basso, reached for a bottle of sparkling wine instead of gin and created the legendary Negroni Sbagliato. Lo Sbagliato, as regulars affectionately call it, was an immediate hit. The sparkling wine lowers the alcohol content, making it crisp, bubbly and easy to drink, and it remains a favourite aperitivo choice for locals and visitors alike.
In much the same way, roughly 40 years after lo Sbagliato, the Negroni del Marinaio, created in 2014 by Flavio Angiolillo & Co at Mag Navigli, wrote a new chapter in the history of bitter and vermouth cocktails. Embraced immediately by bartenders and patrons alike, it has become the venue’s signature drink. But there is more: it has long since travelled beyond Milan and is now served with great success in Italy’s finest cocktail bars. Inspired by a recipe passed down by old Adriatic sailors, who relied on caffè corretto to face long voyages, this invigorating aperitivo features Bitter Fusetti, a distinctive blend of botanicals with a pleasant bitter finish, Martini ambrato and mezcal, paired with coffee liqueur. The result is an aromatic cocktail reminiscent of the classic Negroni, but with that extra twist of coffee, whose roasted notes are deftly highlighted by the smoky hint of mezcal. Curious to try the recipe?
- 30 ml Bitter Fusetti
- 30 ml Martini Ambrato
- 10 ml coffee liqueur
- 10 ml Mezcal Vida
Pour everything into an old fashioned glass, add ice cubes, a slice of dehydrated orange and a few coffee beans, and… your ‘giustissimo’ Negroni del Marinaio is ready to give your aperitivo an extra kick!
