Mezcal Negroni recipe
The Negroni goes to Oaxaca — smoke, bitter, and sweet in perfect balance.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Old Fashioned Family
Ingredients
- 1 oz Mezcal (joven/espadín)
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
- 1 oz Campari
How to make a Mezcal Negroni
- Add mezcal, sweet vermouth, and Campari to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir for 30 seconds until well-chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Express an orange peel over the drink and drop it in.
Garnish
Orange peel, expressed and placed in the glass.
Pro tip
Use an espadín mezcal — it's the most versatile and won't overpower the other ingredients. Avoid anything too smoky (like a tobala or arroqueño) or the drink becomes one-dimensional. Del Maguey Vida or Banhez are great choices that play well with Campari's bitterness.
History of the Mezcal Negroni
The Mezcal Negroni emerged in the early 2010s as mezcal went mainstream in American cocktail bars. It's part of the broader 'Oaxacan' cocktail movement that saw bartenders swapping tequila and gin for mezcal in classic templates. The smoke adds a dimension that gin never could — it makes the Campari's bitterness feel warmer and more primal.
Flavour profile
Smoky, Bitter, Sweet, Complex
Variations
- Split-Base Negroni — Use 0.5 oz mezcal + 0.5 oz gin for subtler smoke
- Oaxacan Boulevardier — Replace Campari with Ancho Reyes for chocolate-chili bitterness
- Smoky Sbagliato — Replace mezcal with prosecco and add a mezcal rinse
Practise making the Mezcal Negroni in the free Virtual Bar game.