Unusual Negroni (Aperol, Lillet, and Gin Cocktail) Recipe

Updated May 28, 2019

An Unusual Negroni in a rocks glass with a grapefruit wedge on the rim. — Vicky Wasik

Do you find a traditional Negroni cocktail a little too assertive? Meet the Unusual Negroni, a lighter, mellower variation created by Charlotte Voisey and featured in The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, With Recipes & Lore by Gary Regan. Aperol gives this drink a subtly bitter orange flavor, bolstered by the honey-and-citrus flavor of golden Lillet Blanc. Hendrick's Gin, with its delicate botanicals, fits right in with the overall gentle character of the drink.

Voisey's original specs call for the classic equal-parts setup, but I like this drink in a slightly drier style, with an extra bit of gin, as listed below.

Recipe Details

Unusual Negroni (Aperol, Lillet, and Gin Cocktail) Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Active 3 mins

Total 5 mins

Serves 1 serving

Ingredients

1 ounce (30ml) Aperol
1 ounce (30ml) Lillet Blanc
1 1/4 ounces (37ml) Hendrick's Gin
Small grapefruit slice or grapefruit twist, for garnish

Directions

To serve on the rocks, stir Aperol, Lillet Blanc, and gin with ice in an Old Fashioned glass, then garnish with grapefruit slice and serve. To serve up, stir Aperol, Lillet Blanc, and gin with ice in a mixing glass, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with grapefruit twist.

Special equipment

Mixing glass and cocktail strainer (to serve up)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
659	Calories
2g	Fat
131g	Carbs
8g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	659
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g	2%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 131g	48%
Dietary Fiber 17g	62%
Total Sugars 88g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 343mg	1,716%
Calcium 232mg	18%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 1539mg	33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.