If you love a Negroni, you’ll be all about these twists on the OG.

When it comes to gin cocktails, the Martini is king. But not far away, lurking around the edges of the picture, is the bittersweet Negroni looking to dethrone it. This is the cocktail world’s Scar to Mufasa, Macbeth to Duncan, Harry to William (probably). Having lived in somewhat obscurity, this cocktail has garnered quite the cult following in the past few decades and lent its name to copious twists and variations. Remember the 2022 frenzy over the “Sbagliato…with prosecco in it”? Thank you, Emma D’Arcy.

Though the OG Negroni is a delicious and simple mix of equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, its younger siblings riff on the classic to create interesting and fun twists worthy of the Negroni name and, possibly, the gin (and friends) cocktail crown. Have a squiz at eight of our faves below.

The Enzoni cocktail is one of the best Negroni variations

1. Enzoni

If you’ve never heard of the Enzoni cocktail, you're definitely not alone. This zingy, sour riff on the classic Negroni hasn’t reached the masses in quite the same way its half-brother the Sbagliato has, but give it time. Not so different from our OG Negroni, the Enzoni subs the sweet vermouth for muddled fresh green grapes, sugar syrup and lemon juice. So, where that sweet vermouth brings a herbaceous sweetness to balance the bitter Campari in a traditional Negroni, the Enzoni counters the bitterness with a sour sweetness. The result is a sour, bittersweet cocktail that is fruitier and much lighter than its predecessor.

2. Yellow Negroni

Not to be confused with a White Negroni, the Yellow Negroni is one of the newer branches on the Negroni family tree. A Simon Difford invention, this “yellow” twist on the original, is, you guessed it, full of yellow ingredients. It even goes so far as changing the base spirit, which has us pondering, “What makes a Negroni a Negroni?” Existential cocktail questions aside, this is a bloody delicious drink that mixes pisco, the bittersweet Suze, limoncello, white vermouth and Yellow Chartreuse (we obvs love Chartreuse – read more about it here). Sort of like the Enzoni, which balances its bitter ingredients with sourness, the Yellow Negroni has that sourness with the limoncello, but then reintegrates those herbaceous, floral flavours with the white vermouth and Yellow Chartreuse.The end result is a herby, honeyed, bright yet sweet and sour cocktail.

The Yellow Negroni with a lemon twist as garnish

The White Negroni is a subtle twist on the classic Negroni cocktail

3. White Negroni

The White Negroni has had a bit of a tumultuous career. It was adored by bartenders for a bit, then ostracised, then had a slow uptick, now it's back in all its Suzey glory. And we’re stoked. Think of it as a slightly gentler twist on the OG. It’s still got all those fab bittersweet, herby notes, but it’s a touch lighter and, obviously, white, mainly due to the Suze and white vermouth. To taste, it's very similar to the beloved original, but not as sharp. Remember when Huey Lewis sang, “It’s hip to be a square”? Well, this is the opposite as all its edges have been smoothed over, making it a more rounded sip.

4. Negroni Sbagliato

Mirko Stocchetto accidentally made it (Sbagliato literally means ‘mistake’), Emma D’Arcy made it an internet sensation, so, what’s next for the bubbly, boy-wonder of the Negroni family tree? Is it here to take the Negroni crown? Perhaps not yet, but it’s well on its way. Unlike most internet trends that die out after a few seasons (remember when we grated parmesan on an Espresso Martini? *shudders*), Sbagliato’s popularity hasn’t dropped since the infamous insta clip. Instead, it’s plateaued. Why? Because once you try it, you understand why that British star from Game Of Thrones liked it so much. Just a refreshing mix of Campari, sweet vermouth and sparkling wine, it’s a perfect cocktail for when you feel like a Negroni, but also want something sparkly and fun.

The Negroni Sbagliato puts a sparkling wine twist on the original recipe

The Cold Brew Negroni adds coffee to the classic cocktail

5. Cold Brew Negroni

This one isn’t for everyone, and there might be a few coffee nerds protesting with their aerators and paper filters in the air, but meh. Coffee deserves a Negroni finish and vice versa. Bitter and bitter go together like, well, bitter and bitter. Talk to any barista, and they’ll tell you the unique floral, herbal and vegetal notes in coffee can not only match the botanicals of the gin but also elements of the Campari.You can can read more about espresso flavours here, but long story short, coffee is a surprisingly versatile ingredient. We reckon the Cold Brew Negroni will convert even your most diehard coffee nerd friends. And if they already like Negronis, this may well be their fave new cocktail.

6. Remember the Alimony

Y’all know how much we love sherry. It’s this writer's favourite wine (see here for proof). Now, at last, we have a Negroni that doesn’t just dip its toe in the sherry river – it wades right in. Still using the gin base of the classic Negroni, this one swaps the sweet vermouth for the dry and rounded fino sherry, and the Campari for the bittersweet and complex Cynar – a delicious artichoke liqueur. The result is a twist that is far drier than our original Negroni, but still herbaceous and pleasantly bitter with a great vegetal aftertaste (that’d be the artichoke). Serve this over a huge chunk of ice with a lemon twist.

Remember the Alimony puts sherry front and centre

7. Rosita

Sometimes you need to switch it up. Yes, gin, Campari and sweet vermouth make one of the best cocktails around. But did you know there’s a Negroni twist that swaps out gin for tequila? Did you? A Gary Regan brainchild (yes, the finger guy), the Rosita takes all the things we love about the oldie, but splits the sweet vermouth with dry vermouth and substitutes the gin with tequila to create a fresh, complex take on the classic. Think bright crunchy green notes from the tequila and slightly less sweetness, all while maintaining that distinctive bittersweet Negroni flavour. Serve as you would the original, with a good chunk of ice and a lemon twist.

8. Americano

Switch up your aperitivo hour with this refreshing almost-twist but definitely stand-alone cocktail – the effervescent Americano. A simple mix of sweet vermouth and Campari topped with soda, this is the high-rotation before-lunch drink you’ve been searching for. Sweet and bitter, but bubbly and subtly diluted, bartenders love this low-alc variant, and so do we. This drink is traditionally served short over lots of ice, but we love it as a Highball as well.

The Americano is a refreshing lower-alcohol take on the Negroni

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