Though Singapore won’t have a floating Negroni bar during the week, our bartenders will be mixing the most imaginative cocktails for you, and part of the proceeds (your drinking pocket money) will go to charity. We’ve already written about the history of the Negroni, so this time it’s all about the base (spirit: Campari) and the recipes.

For #NegroniWeek, Singapore bartenders were tasked to put any spin they wish to the classic cocktail. Interesting entries including a fat-washed Iberico concoction, a pineapple consommé which was slow-pressed for three hours, Citrus infused lollipops, Sloe gin, mezcal, sorrel and many more. A couple of creations were made different spirits and infusions apart from the traditional gin base. Here are some of our faves:

Edwin Poh, Ah Sam’s Cold Drink Stall

Drink: Ginseng Negroni

Charity: Ren Ci Hospital, $24++ ($2 donated per drink)

Recipe: 30ml Ginseng-infused Gin + 20ml Campari + 20ml Sweet Vermouth

“Incorporation of traditional Chinese herb (ginseng) into the cocktail. We wanted to impart a familiar medicinal herbal note to the drink and to have a drier finish to the usual Negroni. The flavours work wonderfully together and the Ginseng even has an added benefit of boosting the immune system. That’s killing 2 birds with one stone. At Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall, we like to experiment with many of the traditional Chinese herbs and ingredients that are available to us in Singapore. During the haze period, I was cooking liang teh in the bar for the staff because everyone was falling sick. So it struck me that maybe I should put Chinese herbs into a cocktail, so that everyone can come by for a drink and get healthier!”

Leon Tan, Nutmeg & Clove

Drink: Beyond a Negroni

Charity: Beyond Social Services Singapore, $22++ ($5 donated per drink)

Recipe: The Botanist Gin + Campari + Sweet Vermouth + (Lemongrass, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Cloves) Infusion + Lapsang Souchong Tea + Kewra Water

“The drink deconstructs and plays on the flavours of the classic Negroni. For instance, the spice from gin boosted with dry spices such as cardamom and cloves, and the bittersweet tastes from the Campari is enhanced with a few dashes of Kewra water. This mix introduces Asian elements to an otherwise Mediterranean drink. There is an addition of citrus flavour from the lemongrass, paired with a traditional and slightly smoky Chinese tea.”

Kelly D’Cruz, The Secret Mermaid

Drink: Negroni Sour

Charity: Make a Wish Foundation, $20++ ($2 donated per drink)

Recipe: Half Moon Orchard gin + Atsby Armadillo Cake American Vermouth + Campari + Hopped grapefruit bitters + Lemon + Egg white

“The Negroni Sour is unlike any other Negroni because it maintains the bittersweet taste profile of a classic Negroni while balancing a lighter more refreshing profile of a Sour. I’ve used Half Moon Orchard gin, which is distilled from a mixture of wheat, and apples as my base spirit because it’s a very flavourful/slightly fruity gin which works well with Atsby Armadillo Cake. This American vermouth is not as sweet as regular vermouth and has slightly more spice, providing an interesting and complex base. The Campari, lemon juice, grapefruit bitters and egg white is used to create a bittersweet frothy Negroni Sour.”

Davide Boncimino, Bago at Lime House

Drink: Sorrel Negroni

Charity: The Star Shelter Fund – Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), $20 (Amount for charity TBC)

Recipe: 30ml Mount Gay Black Barrel + 15ml Campari + 30ml Sorrelade + Mancino rosso + hibiscus cinnamon ginger infused gin + 5ml homemade cinnamon syrup

“This Negroni is made with a strong Caribbean influence, an ode to the cuisine and concept of Lime House. Inspired by the tropical islands, the twist is made using fresh Sorrelade fruit which is commonly found in the Caribbean, and adding it with ginger and cinnamon. The cinnamon syrup to opens up the flavour of Sorrel producing a lighter and easier to drink concoction with a hint of fruity notes.”

Nicholas Lim, Jekyll & Hyde

Drink: Spicy Italiano

Charity: Make A Wish Foundation, $22++ ($2 donated per drink)

Recipe: Botanist Gin + Attica formula + Campari + Grapefruit Hops bitters + Chilli bitters + Lemongrass

“Spicy Italiano has a unique combination of flavours with tangy citrus, bitterness and spiciness. I decided to spice things up by using Botanist gin for its citrus body and adding chili & grapefruit hops bitters for a spicy, dry touch with hints of earthy citrus from the lemongrass. Using a throwing technique instead of stirring helps to bring out more bubbles, which opens the flavour. I always love notes of bitterness and citrus spice, purely because of my travels to Indonesia where there is an abundance of spices and flavours.”

Shafik, FOC

Drink: Garibaldi Frizzante

Charity: Club Rainbow, $18++ ($2 donated per drink)

Recipe: FOC House Blend Floral Gin + Mancino Rosso + Campari + Cynar Artichoke Liqueur + Crème De Cassis + Fresh Grapefruit Juice

”First and foremost, this Negroni is different than any other that you have ever tasted because we actually carbonate the whole mix using a CO2 charger instead of adding soda to it. And the artichoke with cassis and grapefruit gives the drink a nice balance and roundness. While reading about the history of the Negroni, we came across Garibaldi (Campari & OJ). While it is not as famous as its cousin the Negroni, it was interesting to see how a few ingredients could actually make a difference. With that in mind we decided to ‘marry’ Garibaldi and Negroni, add a few additional items, and the Garibaldi Frizzante was born.”

Stuart Danker, Sugarhall

Drink: Kingston Negroni

Charity: Community Chest, $22++ ($1 donated per drink)

Recipe: 30ml Rum Nation Jamaican White Pot Still Rum + 15ml Campari + 15ml Mancino Rosso + 5ml Falernum

“The twist here is using a unique Jamaican rum base instead of the traditional gin in a Negroni. With the traditional Negroni having Italian roots, I’ve decided to pay tribute to Jamaica instead, using a Jamaican White Pot Still Rum as the base spirit in this drink. The White Pot Still Rum has an intense flavour full of character and brings personality to this Negroni. I’m principal bartender of Sugarhall which is focused on rums and thus drew on this aspect for inspiration in creating the negroni.”

Negroni Week in numbers:
• From 2013 to 2014, Negroni Week grew from 100 participating venues to more than 1,300 participating venues around the world

• In 2015, Negroni Week took place from 1-7 June, and more than 3,500 venues around the world mixed their favourite Negroni variations and raised over $320,000 for charitable causes

• Over 30 bars are taking part this year, the island’s second Negroni Week

Like this? Three equal parts is all you need for classic cocktails

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