The Easiest Way to Change Up Your Mezcal Negroni

Cynar — and a bit of salt.

You may have noticed that Mezcal Negroni variations frequently employ Cynar, a bittersweet, vegetal amaro that is beloved by bartenders and cocktail nerds.

This is not surprising. Mezcal and Cynar are one of the booze world’s most dynamic duos: Pairing the ingredients almost always produces something delightful. I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a drink with both mezcal and Cynar that I didn’t like. 

So before we leave the topic of Mezcal Negronis, I wanted to be sure to suggest what is probably the simplest, most obvious variation: Drop the Campari and swap Cynar into its place. And then, if you are so inclined, add a little bit of salt or saline solution. 

The Cynar-for-Campari swap radically reduces the citrusy brightness of the original drink and replaces it with something that is both more herbal and more caramel-forward, with faint notes of butterscotch and raisin. It’s a little richer, but also slightly less syrupy. The salt, meanwhile, dampens the bitterness and lifts the flavors a bit: If you’ve ever had salted toffee, the effect is similar. Finish it off with a strip of orange peel, bringing a hint of citrus back into the mix. With Cynar, the Mezcal Negroni becomes a small bite of artisanal candy in cocktail form. 

Not to belabor the point but, oh well, I suppose I shall belabor the point: The three-part Negroni template — whether with mezcal or gin or bourbon or whatever else you want to use as the base ingredient — supports a nearly infinite array of versions and variations, each with their own quirks and charms. And because each relies on just a few off-the-shelf ingredients, they are not only easy to make, they are also easy to invent.

Obviously, I did not invent the Cynar Mezcal Negroni. I rather doubt any one person did. This sort of thing was all the rage around 2013 or so, and lots of people had this idea or something like it. I don’t think there’s a single origin story to be told. 

Frankly, this whole class of drinks is now a little bit behind the fashion curve in the cocktail world. Like pants and shag carpets, cocktails trend in and out. The Mezcal Negroni is, at this point, the skinny jeans of the cocktail universe. Lots of people have stuck with it, but the truly fashion-forward have moved on. 

That’s how these things go. Someday, today’s most on-trend drinkers will think of clever Espresso Martinis the way I think of Mezcal Negronis with Cynar. 

Don’t worry too much about it. When you are making drinks at home, the only people you have to impress are your guests and yourself. It’s fine to be a bit dated if the drink is still delicious, and this one surely is. 

Cynar Mezcal Negroni 

• 4 drops 20 percent saline solution* (or a pinch of salt) 

• 1 ounce Cynar

• 1 ounce sweet vermouth (preferably Dolin Rouge)

• 1 ounce mezcal (preferably Del Maguey Vida) 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.

2. Add ice, then stir to chill and dilute. 

3. Strain into a rocks glass over a large piece of ice. 

4. Garnish by twisting a strip of orange peel over the top of the drink, then drop the peel into the glass. 

*Combine one part salt and four parts water in a small saucepan on a stovetop. Heat on medium or medium low, stirring gently to combine. Do not let boil. When salt and water are completely combined — no layer of salt sludge exists at the bottom — turn off burner. Bottle in a small dropper bottle. Should keep for several months. 

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