It’s Negroni time! I know we’ve already discussed the Negroni but this time we’re taking it for a spin. On a recent Montreal trip over the holidays, we decided to stock up on some bar items that are pretty hard to come by here in Nova Scotia. After loading up on cocktail bitters and liqueurs, it has been a fun few weeks shaking and stirring up both new creations and classic cocktails that would otherwise have been impossible.
If you remember, the Negroni is both easy and delicious; three equal parts, a quick stir later and an aromatic sipping cocktail is made. For The Elena, we swap out the gin for Capel Pisco as our base spirit, Amaro Montenegro takes over for Campari as the bitter component, and Dolin sweet vermouth rounds things out.
The Capel Pisco from Northern Chile is a brandy made up of 30% Muscat grape as well as 70% Pedro Jimenez and Torontel grapes. Oak aged from three to six months, it’s quite popular in Chile and Peru, mostly shaken into a Pisco Sour which, by the way, is delicious. Next, the Amaro Montenegro with its heavy orange citrus component and great bitterness is easily one of my new favourite Italian herbal digestifs. This amaro brings a great deal of fruity and botanical notes on the nose well before a sip is taken. Named after princess Elena of Montenegro, it made the perfect namesake for the cocktail. Finally we finish off with Dolin Rouge, a sweet vermouth from Chambery France that brings a sweetness as well as a dry component to finish off the drink.
Though much different than the classic, The Elena’s twist on the Negroni is a variation that will no doubt be a repeat offender in this house. We also flipped it, adding egg and simple syrup to create a creamy variation on this liquor forward cocktail.
Cheers.
- 1 oz Capel Pisco
- 1 oz Amaro Montenegro
- 1 oz Dolin Sweet vermouth
- ice
- orange peel for garnish
- 1 oz Capel Pisco
- 1 oz Amaro Montenegro
- 1 oz Dolin Sweet vermouth
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 1 egg
- ice
- orange peel for garnish
- Add 1 oz Pisco, 1 oz Amaro Montenegro and 1 oz sweet vermouth to a mixing glass.
- Add large chunks or cubes of ice.
- Stir till ingredients are properly integrated and chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass straight up or strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
- Add 1 oz Pisco, 1 oz Amaro Montenegro,1 oz sweet vermouth, simple syrup and the egg into a cocktail shaker.
- Dry shake (without ice) until mixed thoroughly, about 20 seconds.
- Add ice and shake again until shaker frosts over.
- Pour into a chilled coupe glass straight up or an old fashioned glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
