Over 60 participating Singapore bars and restaurants set to celebrate Negroni Week this September with their tributes to the classic Italian aperitivo cocktail.
I don’t think Count Camillo Negroni quite realised the impact he would have on the cocktail world when he created, by accident, his namesake cocktail back in 1919. He had asked the bartender at his favourite watering hole to strengthen his drink of choice – an Americano – by replacing the soda water with gin, and the Negroni was born.
Some say he wasn’t a count. Others claim that he was French and not Italian. Whatever the truth may be, we think it’s a plausible enough story. After all, who among us hasn’t gone up to a bartender to ask for a stronger drink?
Today the classic Negroni – combining equal parts of gin, Campari, and vermouth – sit among the luminaries of the cocktail Hall of Fame, and is regularly requested at bars all over the world.
Which brings us to Negroni Week.
First started as a small cocktail movement in 2013 to celebrate this iconic aperitivo and give back to society, it has since become a large annual worldwide celebration. Singapore held its first Negroni Week in 2015 with just five participating bars; last year saw a whopping 90 Singapore venues participate.
Negroni Week will take place 16-22 September this year, and already over 60 local bars and restaurants have signed up to offer both classic and limited-time twists during this period. Not to mention their own Negroni signatures.
Among the fun and edgy Negroni twists include True North from Cat Bite Club, a light and fluffy variation on the Garibaldi that’s amped up with amaro and apple cider vinegar, while Forbidden City from PLUME at Pan Pacific Singapore offers an oriental reimagination of the Cardinale with dry vermouth that’s been macerated in oolong tea, and chrysanthemum-infused gin.
Or how about the Campfire from Madam Fan at NCO Club, which takes the classic Boulevardier in a smoky, fruity direction with smoked pineapple and kaffir lime?
Then there’s the Cacacaca over at Spectre, a Negroni turbocharged with gin infused with cacao and goji berries as well as a touch of chocolate bitters for their earthy, roasty flavours. And for those who love their Mezcal takes, the Rosita-inspired Rosaleda from The Other Room uses a couple dashes of bitters to amplify the funky, smoky Mezcal.
Other Singapore bars repping in Negroni Week 2024 include Brooklyn, TA Community, Stay Gold Flamingo, and Gibson, while restaurants are also getting into the action with the likes of Sospiri, Opus Bar & Grill, and Kee’s participating.
Aside from the exclusive Negroni Week creations, cocktail revellers can expect various guest shifts happening across town. 17 September sees Alex Frezza of Napoli’s award-winning L’Antiquario – No.44 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 – take the stage at Neon Pigeon, while Brooklyn Bar will host Naz Arjuna of Mad & Midas and Campari brand ambassador Bystrik Uko behind the bar on 21 September, among others.
Also different this year is a curious collaboration between Campari and China’s Wuliangye that will see a baijiu Negroni variant come to fruition. Called the Wugroni, this version uses baijiu instead of gin and is set to challenge your perceptions and palate. So expect to see a Wugroni or two turn up this Negroni Week.
Negroni Week 2024 runs 16 to 22 September. For more information, visit: www.negroniweek.com.
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