Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Negroni: Timeless Cocktail Bridging Tradition and Modern Drinking Culture
A Negroni is a famous drink made with three equal parts of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
It is bitter, sweet, and strong all at once, which is why people love it.
Many people think it was first made in 1919 in Florence, Italy, at a cafe called Caffe Casoni.
A French general named Count de Negroni asked for it to be mixed.
But some people say it was actually created in Senegal in the 1800s.
Every September, bars around the world celebrate Negroni Week to raise money for charity.
Famous people like Audrey Hepburn, Dua Lipa, and Orson Welles have enjoyed this drink.
Bartenders like to make their own versions, such as the Montenegroni, which uses a different bitter liqueur.
The Negroni has stayed popular for over a hundred years because it is simple but delicious.
Negroni Week runs September 21-27 this year, with thousands of venues worldwide raising money for charitable causes.
The Negroni is believed to have been created in 1919 at Caffe Casoni in Florence on the instructions of Count de Negroni.
A counter claim, favored by the General's descendants, says the cocktail was first created in Senegal in the 19th century.
Famous fans include Audrey Hepburn, Dua Lipa, and Orson Welles, who endorsed the drink in 1947.
Papa's restaurant in Mumbai serves the Montenegroni, a modern twist that swaps Campari for Amaro Montenegro.
- Who
- Count de Negroni, credited with inspiring the cocktail; fans including Audrey Hepburn, Dua Lipa, and Orson Welles; and bartenders like Kartika Kallianpur of Papa's.
- What
- The Negroni cocktail, its disputed origins, the global Negroni Week charity event, and modern twists such as the Montenegroni.
- When
- Negroni Week runs September 21-27 this year; the cocktail is believed to have been created in 1919; Orson Welles endorsed it in 1947.
- Where
- Florence, Italy (claimed birthplace); Senegal (alternative origin claim); Mumbai, India (Papa's restaurant); and Rome, Italy (Hepburn and Welles connections).
- Why
- The cocktail's balance of bitterness, sweetness, and strength makes it timeless and a perfect canvas for modern interpretations.
Italian origin claim
French/Senegalese origin claim
Birthplace of the Negroni
Italian origin claim
The Negroni was born in 1919 at Caffe Casoni in Florence, mixed on the instructions of Count de Negroni.
French/Senegalese origin claim
The cocktail was actually first created in Senegal in the 19th century, a version favored by the General's descendants.
- Classic recipe
- 25ml gin, 25ml sweet vermouth, 25ml Campari, orange twist garnish
- Negroni Week dates
- September 21-27
- Negroni Week launched
- 2013 by Campari and Imbibe magazine
- Believed creation year
- 1919
- Claimed birthplace
- Caffe Casoni, Florence
- Alternative origin claim
- Senegal, 19th century
- Montenegroni swap
- Campari replaced with Amaro Montenegro
- Famous endorsement
- Orson Welles, 1947