COCKTAILS WITH TERRY

It has all the best parts of the popular cocktail, but the quantities of gin are subtly increased, and the vermouth is a Punt e Mes, specifically.”

The quote and recipe above are taken from a simply lovely article about Fergus and the Fergroni published online by Drakes at this link: https:// us.drakes.com/blogs/news/drakes-st-john-fergroni-recipe-story

There is a bite within the richness of the Fergroni, made with the darker, more powerful, and deeper, flavours of Punte e Mes, and greater proportion of gin, that is an interesting contrast with the seemingly more nuanced, mellow, and rich sweetness of the traditional Negroni, made with a more conventional sweet vermouth, like my favoured Antica Formula.

This results in my cover of the Fergroni, which I call the 1-2-3 (or more accurately the 2-4-6) Negroni:

• 2 cl Punte Mes

• 4 cl Campari

• 6 cl Gin

For the gin, given the greater proportion, I find it best to use a London Dry as opposed to the higher alcohol Tom Cat or Navy Strength Gin styles for better balance and integration.

The classic Negroni is generally equal parts of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, which allows for a greater variety of styles, both in flavour and alcohol percentage, than the Fergroni, though some pros, not unlike Fergus, prefer one-and-a-half parts gin or even two parts gin.

Component selection is key, as there many bitters beyond my rock and foundation that is Campari (after all, there is much more that can be with Aperol than to spritz it ;-), vermouths beyond my favoured Formul Antica and Fergus’s Punt e Mes, with the number of gins in every possible version, especially more locally produced samples worth exploring, bewildering, and growing. But don’t be deterred by the overwhelming embarrassment of riches that might be available and put you off, the beauty of any three-part cocktail is the ease of mixing and matching your personal preferences.

Ultimately my preference is as a hybrid, the Americano Negroni – a more traditional even proportioned Negroni of Campari bitter, Antic Formula sweet red vermouth, and a balanced London Dry Gin, with a splash of sparkling water, as I am finding that a splash of sparkling water in almost any cocktail or plain spirit, either on the rocks or neat, benefits from the blending effects this addition can provide.

Negroni remakes, or as my friends at a favourite pizza place in town serving great cocktails, Opopoppa, calls them “mutant negronis” are many, and while not nearly as many as pop song covers, there are still a surprising number of variations of the Negroni, with the basic three elements being variously substituted.

• Negroni Sbagliato - sbagliato translates to “mistaken”, resulting in “mistaken negroni,” substituting gin for sparkling wine, providing a slightly softer and lighter drink not unlike my preferred Americano Negroni.

• White Negroni - consists of gin, Suze, a bittersweet liqueur and Lillet Blanc, a wine-based aperitif. The former plays the role of Campari, while the latter the vermouth in a way that is surprising light and refreshing (particularly surprising for Linette and Stu, the publishers of this not boring rag, who have a strong dislike for Suze, but don’t be misled by their limited palettes and give it a try for yourself).

• Mezcal Negroni – substituting gin for smoky mezcal pairs surprising well with the Campari and sweet vermouth, red or white, for a complex expression of the Negroni.

• Kingston Negroni - swaps high proof rum for gin, demanding a powerful sweet vermouth, like Punt e Mes, and benefitting from a charred wedge of pineapple.

• Quill – a classic Negroni with an absinthe rinse, adding brightness and depth along with a hint of anise or liquorice. I cannot recommend this cover or remake enough, as there is a transformation that goes beyond expectations (but then that could be expected from the all too often magical addition of the green fairy that is the much beloved absinthe).

• Boulevardier - created just a few years after the original, this Negroni cover has become a classic. In his 1927 book “Barflies and Cocktails,” Harry MacElhone credits Erskine Gwynne, the publisher of Paris expat magazine “Boulevardier,” with the drink, swapping gin in favor of bourbon or rye, adding richness and warmth to the classic Negroni. Adding a wash of absinthe, as above in the Quill take this to the next level!

• The Old Pal - an offshoot of the Boulevardier that was also created by MacElhone around the same time. As the story goes, MacElhone named the cocktail for William “Sparrow” Robinson, the sports editor for The New York Herald in Paris, and effectively substitutes the sweet vermouth for dry vermouth.

Another favourite bar in town, regrettably recently closed, was Cuccurucucù, where the wizards behind the bar, Bea and Malin, created, among many great and entirely unique cocktails based on their home-made ingredients, the “Yet Another Negroni,” consisting of house made plum and lilac liqueur, Alfred Maestro la Cosa (the Thing) sweet wine, Claus Preisnger Limestone red wine, and a juice made from rescued grapefruit, blackberry, black currant, and thyme. I will miss it, as I know will never be able to duplicate it.