Jalisco Negroni
Reposado tequila, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal parts, stirred over a big rock. The Negroni's agave cousin — earthy, bitter and a little sweet, and the best argument for tequila in a stirred drink.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the tequila, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 25 seconds.
Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
Express an orange peel over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- Reposado for roundness; blanco for a sharper, grassier version; mezcal for smoke.
- Pull the Campari back to three-quarters if the tequila is delicate.
- A grapefruit peel suits tequila even better than orange.
Common mistakes
- A mixto tequila, which tastes thin against Campari.
- Shaking.
- An añejo, whose oak gets lost; save it for sipping.
A few good questions.
What does a Jalisco Negroni taste like?
Bitter orange and sweet vermouth with roasted agave and light oak instead of juniper — earthier than a Negroni.
Reposado or blanco?
Reposado is the standard; blanco is brighter and more vegetal.
Is this a Mezcal Negroni?
With mezcal in place of tequila, yes — smokier and sometimes called an Oaxacan Negroni.
Why Jalisco?
The Mexican state where tequila is made.
Variations
- Negroni — Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
- Boulevardier — Bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth.
- Siesta — Tequila, Campari, grapefruit and lime.
- Agave Old Pal — Tequila, Campari and dry vermouth.
Where it comes from
c. 2008 · United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Swapping the gin in a Negroni for tequila was one of the first moves of the agave boom of the late 2000s, and the Jalisco Negroni — named for tequila’s home state — appeared on American bar menus around 2008, alongside the mezcal version that Death & Co and others were pouring. Reposado is the usual choice: its light oak and vanilla sit between Campari’s bitter orange and the vermouth’s sweetness the way gin’s juniper does in the original, and a blanco makes a sharper, more vegetal drink. It is sometimes called a Tequila Negroni or, with mezcal, a Mezcal Negroni or Oaxacan Negroni; the proportions are the Negroni’s own, and so is the orange peel.
Sources
- David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day, Death & Co, 2014 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Tequila Negroni, 2012 (reference)
- Punch, Negroni Variations, 2016 (reference)
Strength. About 1.33 US standard drinks at an estimated 22.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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