Aperol Negroni

Aperol. I love it. Most people think of Aperol as a spring-time aperitif. Aperol is most commonly used in an Aperol Spritz. Maybe because I enjoy its sweet but bitter orange and simultaneously slightly herbaceous flavor, I am happy to drink it pretty much anytime.

A typical Negroni has 1 part gin, 1 part Campari, and 1 part sweet vermouth. I confess, I am not a huge fan of Campari. I find it a little too floral. When overused, I find cocktails with Campari to approach a bowl of potpourri. Campari can really take over a cocktail. True, Aperol is much sweeter than Campari, but that can be partially offset by the addition of more citrus. Plus, bitter orange is just a better flavor than potpourri. Additionally, when paired with a bolder flavored gin, here I used Tanqueray, I think an Aperol Negroni is just plain better than a traditional Negroni.

Aperol Negroni

• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth