Why the Negroni deserves a spot at your next party

With the Negroni ranking as India’s second most-ordered cocktail, the classic is having a moment. Here’s how to make it the star of your Diwali soiree.

With the festive season comes house parties, making it the perfect time to refresh your bar menu. According to 30BestBarsIn’s What Indians Are Drinking in 2026 survey across 155 bars in 18 cities last month, the Negroni has emerged as India’s second-most ordered cocktail, right behind the ubiquitous Picante. Mixologists, too, are increasingly experimenting with the classic to make it more appealing to young drinkers.

The classic Negroni gets ready for the festive season (Adobe Stock)

Bartender Sahil Gaur, from aabbcc in Vasant Vihar, Delhi, points to a clear shift in local drinking habits: “Pre-pandemic, the Negroni was strictly a bartender’s secret or a drink for seasoned global travellers because of its bittersweet complexity. But post-Covid, Indians have changed their drinking habits. As the younger guests shift towards sophisticated, spirit-forward classics, the Negroni is proving hard to resist once its bittersweet taste is acquired.” Today, he notes, it is “one of the most frequently ordered classics on Delhi’s bar counters.”

What is a negroni?

The Negroni is a classic Italian cocktail made with equal parts gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth, stirred with ice and finished with an orange peel. Its story dates back to 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni reportedly asked bartender Fosco Scarselli at Florence’s Caffè Casoni for a stronger Americano, replacing soda with gin. The bartender swapped the usual lemon garnish for orange peel, and the Negroni was born.

A crowd pleaser

At Delhi’s The Bar Behind The Sandwich Shop, the focus remains on getting the original right. “The Negroni is a classic, and if you can make it well, it means good business because loyalists stay regular,” says Sahil Negi, head of operations. While they aren’t focused on reinventing something that already works so well, there is one exception: the Mezcal Negroni, which swaps gin for mezcal.

Flight of flavours

Taking flavour experimentation a step further, the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, offers a Negroni flight that lets aficionados sample and compare distinct variations. “We want to give guests the option of sampling all four flavours and explore the drink’s potential to evolve across different flavour profiles. So you start with a coffee-infused, gin-based cocktail; then move to a tea and Campari one, after which you can try the tequila-based bitter (inspired by the Picante) and then we have a fruity orange addition to tie it all off. It is about retaining the character of a Negroni while making the experience more approachable,” says Chetan Koranga, assistant director, F&B at Taj Mahal, New Delhi.

Unexpected twists to the classic

Deepak Jiyal, head mixologist at The Piano Man, Delhi, likes variations that retain the original’s backbone. “I’m a big fan of Negronis that respect the classic structure but have one unexpected element. A coffee-infused Negroni is particularly interesting — the bitterness of coffee works beautifully with Campari and vermouth, adding another layer of depth.” Tea- and spice-led versions, he adds, can bring an aromatic quality without losing the cocktail’s character.

The perfect party pick

The Negroni is perhaps the easiest cocktail to serve guests at a house party:

• Zero hassle: Its standard 1:1:1 ratio makes it easy to prepare without any jiggers or cocktail shakers.
• Batch it ahead: Unlike cocktails such as Margaritas or Mojitos, a Negroni can be pre-batched. Mix the ingredients in a bottle or pitcher before your guests arrive and pop it in the fridge.
• Easy variations: Want options? Swap gin for bourbon to make a Boulevardier, or for sparkling wine to make a Negroni Sbagliato. You can also steep coffee beans in gin overnight for an aromatic coffee Negroni.