Negroni Frappé
Shake; Churn ∙ 4 min ∙ 17.6% ABV ∙
The Negroni Frappé is a shaken, crushed-ice variation on the Negroni, blending gin, amaro, rosso vermouth, and fresh orange juice into a frothy highball. Bittersweet and citrus-bright, with a chilled, slushy texture from the crushed ice and a fresh orange lift cutting through the herbal amaro.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 20 mlAmaro 20 mlRosso vermouth 20 mlOrange juice 20 mlOrange bitters 3 dashes
- Strain into the glass filled with crushed ice
- Churn to redistribute ice and top with more crushed ice to fill the glass if necessary
- Garnish by grating orange zest over the cocktail
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before building so the crushed ice doesn't melt down and thin the drink on contact.
- Churn the drink after straining to redistribute the crushed ice evenly rather than leaving it settled in a clump.
- Grate the orange zest directly over the glass at the end so the oils settle on top for aroma with each sip.
History
The Negroni Frappé was created by bartender Naren Young at Dante in New York City as part of The Negroni Sessions, a menu of twelve variations built around the classic drink. The frappé was documented alongside other original Dante riffs such as a mezcal-and-Meletti Negroni Coffee Swizzle, described as an orange-inflected take on the format. The recipe, which adds fresh orange juice and is shaken and strained over crushed ice, was later written up in the drinks press as a crushable warm-weather riff on the standard build.
The Negroni itself is most commonly said to have been created in Florence, Italy, in 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked a bartender at Caffè Casoni to strengthen his usual Americano by replacing the soda water with gin, an origin story that remains disputed among rival claimants and historians. The Negroni Frappé keeps that gin, vermouth, and bitter liqueur base but adds orange juice and crushed ice, turning the stirred, spirit-forward original into a shaken, slushier, citrus-brightened warm-weather version.
FAQ
What is a Negroni Frappé made of?
This build combines London dry gin, an amaro such as Meletti, rosso vermouth, and freshly squeezed orange juice in equal measure, plus a few dashes of orange bitters. It is shaken with ice, strained over crushed ice in a highball glass, and topped with grated orange zest.
How is a Negroni Frappé different from a classic Negroni?
A classic Negroni is equal parts gin, a red bitter, and sweet vermouth, stirred and served over one large ice cube. This build instead uses an amaro in place of the red bitter, adds fresh orange juice and orange bitters, and is shaken and served frappé-style over crushed ice, giving it a frothier, more citrus-forward character.
Is a Negroni Frappé a strong drink?
It is moderate in strength, at about 17.6% ABV. The orange juice, orange bitters, and crushed-ice dilution soften it compared with a spirit-forward Negroni served over a single large cube.
