Campari: the Marmite of Alcohol

Here my beautiful friend and I are sitting in a Rome restaurant preparing to try a Negroni cocktail for the first time ever.

The moment after this photo was taken was not quite as picturesque. After our first sip we were both ready to evict that evil spirit out.

I really dislike Negroni. Only for years since that trip to Rome I never knew why.

With a full bottle of gin at home, I was willing to give the cocktail another go, but on my terms.

So I started with the basics. I tried each Negroni ingredient neat.

Gordon’s London Dry Gin: It tasted a bit piney and it definitely burned a bit. Overall, it was not offensive. I don’t see how this could have turned me off Negroni.

Martini Rosso sweet vermouth: A bit sweet at first and then it turns sour. I would never drink this neat but I prefer it to the gin. I don’t think this could have turned me off Negorni.

Campari Bitter: Bing bing. This is it. This is, without a doubt, why I couldn’t make it past my first sip of Negroni. It’s like an overly bitter cough syrup with an even more intense aftertaste. Yet some people looooove it. Can this be the marmite of alcohol?

So my next task will be to mix all three ingredients together to see if this witch’s brew can turn into something delicious, or at least drinkable.

If it doesn’t work out, not to worry. I’m armed with a few ingredients that will hopefully sort this bitter concoction out.

I will leave all of that until tomorrow. Happy weekend all!