Years ago, I sampled a negroni-inspired cocktail in Cleveland, Ohio, dining at chef Jonathon Sawyer’s The Greenhouse Tavern. (Sadly, it’s no longer there.) The dishes were deliciously creative, and I had this mind-blowing cocktail that inspired me to buy a small oak barrel and start cask-aging everything I could get my hands on at home. The OYO Stone Fruit Vodka, a key component, was not available here in New England for years, but I recently spotted a bottle at Yankee Spirits in Swansea, Massachusetts!
OYO STONE FRUIT “NEGROSKI”
1 oz. OYO Stone Fruit Vodka
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
If you’re doing it The Greenhouse Tavern way, combine large quantities of these ingredients in equal parts and pour them into an oak cask, then let it age! Experience tells you that newer and smaller oak casks will mellow flavors faster than larger, older ones. But it’s all about experimentation. Having a taste every once in a while is must, because you don’t want to over-age it, either.
If you don’t have an oak cask lying around at home, it’s still delicious without it.
Combine all the ingredients in a rocks glass with ice. Stir gently, adding a splash of soda, and garnish with an orange peel.
OYO Stone Fruit Vodka gets its wonderful flavors from stone fruits: cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. Terrific on its own, but amazing in this recipe.
Campari is a world-famous aperitif and bitters, and a must in any decent home bar.
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is a sweet vermouth, made in Italy from the Moscato grape. Choosing your own favorite sweet vermouth is, of course, optional.
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