Before diving into the week itself, it’s worth knowing a bit about the Negroni cocktail at its heart. The Negroni traces its roots back to Florence, Italy, circa 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked a bartender to strengthen his Americano cocktail by replacing the soda water with gin. The result was a bold, bitter, and beautifully balanced drink that became a global classic. Over the years, the Negroni has inspired a wide range of variations, including the Boulevardier (with bourbon instead of gin), Americano (with soda), the Negroni Sbagliato (sparkling wine instead of gin), the White Negroni (with Lillet and Suze), and countless modern twists created during Negroni Week itself. In celebration of Negroni Week 2025, we have included some of our favorite Negroni variations using the entire Vermut collection by Lustau.
CELEBRATING NEGRONI WEEK WITH VERMUT LUSTAU
Every year, cocktail lovers, bartenders, and philanthropists around the world unite for a week of bold flavors and good deeds. Negroni Week is a global celebration of one of the world’s most iconic cocktails with a meaningful charitable twist. It is an annual event that brings together bars, restaurants, and drink enthusiasts to celebrate the classic Negroni cocktail. But it’s not just about sipping a great drink. Since its launch in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine and Campari, Negroni Week has grown into a worldwide movement that pairs cocktail culture with fundraising for various charitable causes.
WHEN IS NEGRONI WEEK?
Typically held in September, the exact dates vary slightly each year. September is a great time for Negroni Week since everyone is back in full swing with work and school, which drives the need to reconnect with friends and family that have not been seen since the beginning of summer. Negroni Week gives fans seven full days to explore Negroni variations, attend events, and contribute to charitable initiatives. Bars and restaurants serve classic Negronis and creative riffs, with a portion of proceeds donated to a charity of their choice.
In recent years, Negroni Week has supported causes such as clean water access, environmental protection, arts education, disaster relief, and hospitality worker support.
THE LUSTAU NEGRONI COLLECTION: A VERMOUTH-DRIVEN EXPERIENCE
With four wonderful and unique vermouths to choose from, the Vermut collection by Lustau is the perfect accompaniment for creating a truly memorable Negroni. Made with Lustau sherry wine at the core, they carry forward a long tradition while adding fresh nuance to cocktails. The recipes bring together carefully chosen wines and botanicals, highlighting the essence and layered complexity that define sherry and Lustau diversity.
VERMUT LUSTAU ROJO: REINVENTING THE CLASSIC NEGRONI
Vermut Lustau Rojo is a blend of two wines each aged individually in the traditional, authentic solera y criaderas system: An amontillado, dry and nutty in character, and pedro ximénez, a sweet wine that is intense and velvety. Mahogany in color with reddish hues, this sherry based vermouth has sweet aromas of ripe fruit mingled with hints of citrus fruit and herbaceous notes, over a smoked wood base. On the palate it is flavorsome, velvety and balanced. A bitter finish, with a delicate and distinctive nutty aftertaste.
Try a classic Negroni and discover the beautiful complexity of Vermut Lustau Rojo:
1oz Tanqueray 10 Gin
1oz Lustau Vermut Rojo
1oz Campari
Garnish: Orange Twist
Flavor Profile: smooth and well balanced, with citrus
Food Pairing: caprese salad
Mood: before dinner
VERMUT LUSTAU BLANCO: ELEVATING THE WHITE NEGRONI
Vermut Lustau Blanco is a blend of two wines: a dry, mineral and crisp fino and a sweet and floral moscatel wine, boasts an intense and bright yellow color with golden reflections. On the nose it shows floral, citrusy and herbaceous notes over a yeasty and mineral base. The finish is bitter and clean with a long, nutty and refreshing aftertaste.
Use Vermut Lustau Blanco in your next White Negroni for all your herbaceous needs:
1oz (30ml) Monkey 47 Gin
1oz (30ml) Lustau Blanco Vermut
1oz (30ml) Suze
Garnish: Grapefruit Twist
Flavor Profile: moderately dry and herbaceous, with floral and citrus notes
Food Pairing: Marcona almonds & olives
Mood: lunch
VERMUT LUSTAU ROSÉ: A DELICATE TWIST WITH ROSÉ NEGRONI
Vermut Lustau Rosé is a blend of three wines: a dry and crisp fino, a floral and sweet moscatel and a lively and fruity tintilla de Rota wine, possesses an attractive and delicate pink color with coppery reflections. Floral and herbaceous notes mingled with fruity and spiced scents on the nose. Seductive wild strawberry, orange blossom and patisserie aromas with a subtle nutty background. On the palate, the spiced and herbaceous notes are followed by a comforting sweetness that leaves a delicious silky sensation.
Try a Rosé Negroni with Vermut Lustau Rosé for a delicate and comforting experience:
1oz (30ml) Ransom Old Tom Gin
1.25oz (37.5ml) Lustau Vermut Rose
.75oz (22.5ml) Campari
Garnish: Orange Slice
Flavor Profile: round & lush, with notes of fresh fruit, baking spice, and slight bitterness
Food Pairing: strawberries and cream
Mood: brunch
VERMUT LUSTAU DRY: A CRISP APPROACH TO THE DRY NEGRONI
Vermut Lustau Dry is crafted with a delicate yet complex, dry and salty manzanilla aged in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It is quite herbaceous with subtle citrus notes that enhances a classy “flor” background on the nose. Bone dry, fresh, and slightly briny, full of sea breeze scents and nutty hints. Bitter and clean with a long, crisp, and refreshing aftertaste. The Dry Negroni, also known as a Cardinal, is often overlooked and is worth investigating for anyone who prefers life on the drier side:
1.5oz (45ml) Plymouth Gin
.75oz (22.5ml) Lustau Vermut Dry
.75oz (22.5ml) Campari
Garnish: Olive and Lemon Twist (Discarded)
Flavor Profile: dry & briny, with citrus notes and a slight bitterness
Food Pairing: oysters and shellfish
Mood: after work
HOW LUSTAU VERMOUTHS ADD COMPLEXITY AND BALANCE TO COCKTAILS
Vermouth has always played a pivotal role in cocktail culture, but few labels offer the depth, history, and flavor profile of the Vermut Lustau collection. What makes Lustau Vermut exceptional is its balance between sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and complexity. This harmony is essential in crafting cocktails that are nuanced and layered rather than one-dimensional.
Vermouth has long been a cornerstone of cocktail culture, the epicenter sometimes behind so many classics. Vermut Lustau collection uniqueness is the way it draws on both history and craftsmanship to create something with real depth. Each expression is built on sherry wine, giving it a character that is at once singular and versatile. The personality in the whole collection draws the perfect balance; it creates the perfect harmony allowing cocktails to feel layered, deep but alive, and full of personality. They are vermouths designed not just to mix, but to create an entire drinking experience.
NEGRONI WEEK TRENDS: WHAT BARTENDERS AND ENTHUSIASTS ARE MIXING
During Negroni Week bartenders tend to get creative, riffing on the classic Negroni in all kinds of ways. Some of the current trends include:
Alternative base spirits
Using rum (especially aged or funky rums) instead of gin. Or sherry wine.
Mezcal or tequila to bring smokiness or herbal elements.
Infusions & flavored modifiers
Infusing Campari (or the bitter component) with fruit like strawberries.
Using flavored syrups (coconut, mango) or other infusions sweetening or twisting the bitter/apertivo note.
Bitters, salt, and unusual accents
Adding a few drops of saline (salt) or using flavored salts to “tone down” bitterness and highlight other flavors.
Using unusual bitters (chocolate, mole, etc.) to shift the flavor profile.
Tropical / fruity twists
Integrating tropical fruit flavors (mango, pineapple, etc.), sometimes with fruit‐infused Campari or syrups.
Lightening or brightening the drink via different vermouths (e.g. Bianco or Blanco) or gentler bitter components.
Frozen / slushy versions
Blended Negroni variants or adding components like fresh orange juice or other mixers to create frozen or slushy styles.
Traditional with tweaks
Keeping the 1:1:1 ratio but changing gin styles (herbaceous, floral, local botanicals) or swapping sweet vermouths for dryer styles.
Sometimes substituting the sweet vermouth with something lighter or more complex. A great alternative is sherry wines as they bring a natural balance of dryness, salinity, and subtle sweetness that adds both elegance and intrigue to the cocktail. A great example is Jim’s Meehan East India Negroni
Novel formats / presentation
Unusual serving styles: snowcone‐style Negronis, maybe unusual garnishes or glassware.
Batch‐making large quantities (“infinite” or ever‐evolving Negroni projects) for flavour complexity.
LOW-ABV VARIATIONS AND APERITIVO CULTURE
Sbagliato (the classic low-ABV Negroni)
Ingredients: Campari + Sweet Vermouth + Sparkling Wine
Notes: “Sbagliato” means “mistaken” in Italian — it’s a Negroni that mistakenly used sparkling wine instead of gin.
ABV: ~12-14%
Americano
Ingredients: Campari + Sweet Vermouth + Soda Water
Notes: Very light, refreshing, and great as an aperitif. Often served with an orange slice.
ABV: ~10-12%
Lo-Groni
Ingredients: Non-alcoholic or low-ABV gin substitute + Non-alcoholic bitter + Sweet Vermouth (or NA version)
Entirely low or non-alcoholic; ideal for sober-curious or daytime drinking.
Reverse Negroni
Ingredients: Gin + Campari + Extra Sweet Vermouth
Ratio: 0.5 oz gin, 1 oz Campari, 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
Notes: A boozier flavor with less actual alcohol.
