When my wife Diana, who loves her Negronis, tasted this new recipe, inspired by some delicious blood oranges she brought home from the market, her first word was “Delightful.”  So we called it “Bloody Delightful.” When I started this quest a year ago she questioned how could one have 100 different Negronis.  I am beginning to convince her that there are easily that many variations of this classic cocktail.

The Gin:  Prairie Certified Organic 

The Vermouth: Cocchi Americano 

The Amaro: Amaro CioCiaro and Bonal Gentiane Quina

More: Blood Orange Juice and Slice

This an intriguing cocktail with an bright exotic spring bouquet of flavors.  Prairie as we’ve mentioned is a mellow balanced gin. Complete yet not complex, without any striking sapor. A perfect base for a cocktail with exotic ingredients.

Cocchi Americano is a white vermouth that is said to be based on the arcane Kina Lillet recipe.  You might know that Kina is an ingredient in the original “James Bond Vespa Martini.”  

While it is considered to be a dry “French Style” vermouth it has a fruitiness that is sweet on the tongue.  Made with Moscato di Asti, often a sweet wine,  it is fortified during fermentation and flavored with a secret recipe of cinchona bark, citrus peel, spices and other tasty botanicals.  One of my favorite drinks, alone and in all sorts of cocktails. Makes a great Martini with Vodka. 

For the Amaro I thought the sweet almost fruit candy flavors of the Amaro CioCiaro and exotic floral herbal gentian and quinine flavors  of Bonal Gentiane Quina would blend nicely.  The CioCiaro is easy drinking the Bonal is an acquired taste. Together with a splash of fresh blood orange juice they were fantastic.  “Delightful, Bloody Delighful.”

Recipe:

1 1/2 oz Gin

1 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano

3/4 oz each Amaro CioCiaro and Bonal Gentiane Quina

Stired well over ice, served on the rocks in a chilled stemless cocktail glass, with a splash of blood orange juice and slice.