NO. 1

NO. 1 Negroni Old Fashioned

Thinking about what to toast a greatest hits “box set” with led me to consider some of my own cocktail greatest hits. Granted, this is completely subjective and self defined, since I am likely the only person to have ever made most of my “greatest hits”! Then again, a selection of these greatest hits cocktails has been collected and published in an actual cocktail book, so that must mean something, right? Unless I self published that limited edition book, which definitely cancels any potential acclaim, but let’s not get distracted by these technicalities. Regardless of the incredible drinks, it is probably still the only cocktail book to include a surprise flip book animation that no one has ever noticed.

how to make it to NO. 1

If I’m doing a greatest hits cocktail, it’s probably going to be a Negroni. I know what I like. One of the more clever creations I’ve come up with over the years, which I am not aware of elsewhere but must have surely been invented by someone else as well at some point, is the Negroni Old Fashioned. It’s an Old Fashioned (rye, sweetener, bitters) that is sweetened with a Negroni, by making a sugar syrup from a Negroni cocktail. It’s really good! To update the drink for this greatest hits tribute, I altered the base by adding a bit of mezcal to the rye, for an extra smoky accent that works nicely with the strong bitter flavors. I also skipped the sugar syrup and used a very sweet sherry as the vermouth component, which also works nicely. Since it’s a new update to the original idea, in keeping with the theme here, I gave it a new name, so this Negroni Old Fashioned is the “NO”. 1. I’ll have to include it in cocktail book Vol. 2. Cheers!

a couple of hits

NO. 1

1 ½ oz rye

½ oz mezcal

½ oz Campari

½ oz PX sherry

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass over a large cube. Orange twist.

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