All photos by Adrian Lee/Coconuts
Negroni Week returns from Sept. 12 to 19 and, no doubt, it will be quite celebrated this year in Singapore.
The annual booze fest is celebrated all around the world and was started by Campari and Imbibe Magazine to encourage bars and restaurants everywhere to serve up their take on the classic cocktail – for a good cause.
This year, Negroni lovers can expect to sip unique and creative creations based on the beloved cocktail, which is made with three main ingredients: gin, red vermouth and Campari.
The event is now in its 10th edition and to celebrate, 10 venues have been selected to front the Negroni Handshake campaign.
The Negroni Handshake is inspired by the Bartender Handshake – a ritual known within the bartending industry as a way to greet friends and colleagues by serving them small-serve cocktails or shots on the house.
Some of the specially made Negroni you will get to try over the week includes ones by O/T Bar, Smoke & Mirrors, Southbridge and The Bar at 15 Stamford.
The Bar at 15 Stamford by Bartender, Timothy Aw
Charity: Make-A-Wish Foundation
A story that plays to the bittersweet taste of Campari, T.O.T.G.A (S$24) – The One That Got Away – is a love story of being together then drifting apart. Featuring chrysanthemum-infused Bianco vermouth and gin to represent the initial flowery romance, the bitterness of Campari and bitters comes through afterward for a strong and story-forward rendition.
At The Bar at 15 Stamford, 15 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178906. Open daily from 4pm to 12am.
Smoke & Mirrors by Assistant Bar Manager, Mel John Chavez
Charity: Slow Food
Drawing from memories of his hometown in Bicol, Philippines, Smoke & Mirrors’ Mel decided to encapsulate one of his favourite dishes – Bicol Express – in a drink. Named Negroni Express (S$28), drops of Ancho Reyes Verde are stirred into gin, vermouth and Campari to give it a fiery kick, while walnut bitters and rice syrup harken to the dish’s nuttiness and common side of rice. The end result is a layered cocktail with a heat that spice lovers will love.
At Smoke & Mirrors, 1 St. Andrew’s Road, #06-01 National Gallery Singapore, 178957, Open daily 6pm to 12am.
O/T Bar by Bartender, Max Wong Chu Wan
Charity: Slow Food
On the lighter spectrum, O/T Bar’s Mead By Men (S$18) is an approachable version that all levels of drinkers can enjoy. Built using apple jack, vermouth and Campari, the glass is then topped with sparkling mead into an easy-drinking cocktail with a refreshing fizziness of honeycomb, apples and a distinct dry-bitterness that is as smashable as it sounds.
At O/T Bar, 6 Woodlands Square, #01-02 Woods Square, Singapore 737737. Open daily from 5pm to 1am.
Southbridge by Senior Bar Supervisor, Alfred Roxas
Charity: Red Cross
Those with a penchant for botanical-forward renditions of the Negroni will love Southbridge’s Rosmarino Negroni (S$24). Utilising smoked rosemary-infused gin with hibiscus-infused Campari and Rosso vermouth, this bright red tipple carries a woodsy, aromatic profile with a tinge of tartness that complements herbal bitterness.
At Southbridge, 80 Boat Quay, Level 5, Rooftop 049868. Open daily from 5pm to 12am.
For more information on the other special drinks, you can read more about the campaign.
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