The Triad Negroni {Juniper}
is the quintessential summertime cocktail.
Words by Jessi Devenyns & Hannah J. Phillips Photos By Shelby Bella
With a splash of gin, Negroni was born. This zeitgeist cocktail is becoming a defining choice that embodies the fresh, if only slightly bitter, taste that palates crave.
Once a quiet classic, this mix of equal parts Campari, gin, and vermouth is now a summer staple on bar menus across the nation. Equally smooth, boozy, and aromatic, this concoction is attributed to the Italian Count Camillo Negroni who, in 1919, was looking to stiffen up the classic Americano cocktail with its tamer mix of Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda.
Today, the drink makes an easy litmus test for a restaurant’s cocktail program, thanks to its perfect blend of accessibility and endless variety. Juniper, however, may be the standard bearer for Negronis in Austin with their Chef’s Brand New Cadillac Negroni, named for the deep red of its Barolo Chinato vermouth. Paired with a floral Botanist gin, the high-end vermouth shines through from first to the final sip, thanks in part to the use of large, slow-melting ice blocks.
Reminiscent of the smells of early spring when the earth begins to wake, the vermouth paints the drink’s flavor profile in foggy focus to allow the sippers to sink back into their chair and explore the barky taste of Campari that is contrasted against the blossoming herbs in the gin.
“Cocktail-wise, it’s a very complete cocktail. It’s a very simple cocktail too,” explains Mark Pfohl, bar manager at Juniper. “It has aromatization of various sorts. It has herbal notes. It has floral aspects. It has some fruit tones from the Campari and the vermouth.” The only component it’s missing, according to Mark, is “salinity.” However, upon request, patrons can have a couple drops of Juniper’s 20% saline solution added which elevates the cocktail into a brighter realm and creates what he calls a “precious” drink.
For a meal opener with a flourish or a poolside sipper, a Negroni checks all the boxes. But be cautious. Its innate balance hides its boozy nature. Filled with complementary liquors, the drink transforms a typical aperitif into a 30% Alcohol by Volume workhorse. Mark laughs and admits that although both bartenders and bar patrons love the drink, “You’re getting a good kick out of your spritz.”
That kick though is what keeps people coming back for more. Although Juniper aims for an elevated classic with restrained drama, a Negroni can easily transform into an experimental symphony whose base remains a cocktail with unpretentious simplicity, making it easy to love and even easier to order.
Local Negroni Week:
For the past several years, Travis Tober of Nickel City has organized Austin’s week-long celebration of Negroni Week. This year, in addition to Nickel City and Juniper participating, Uncle Nicky’s is hosting a kick-off party with a Negroni sorbet and Negroni fountain, plus barrel-aged Campari for some extra special Negroni variants.
Contact:
2400 E Cesar Chavez St. #304
juniperaustin.com
@juniperaustin
