Dante’s Unlikely Negroni

The Unlikely Negroni was the standout drink for me at Dante, the fabled NYC Negroni bar we visited in July. The drink mixes Tequila (as a base rather than gin), Campari, and Cocchi Torni, an Italian sweet vermouth, with several Thai tropical flavors for a unique-tasting cocktail with an underlying coconut flavor. 

The drink is the brainchild of Naren Young, the Australian bartender and managing partner at Dante, and well known as a negroni expert who has stated that he “hasn’t ever had a bad Negroni.”

This is a perfect negroni for tiki lovers and those who like coconuts. When I travel to tropical places, I usually go through coconuts at an alarming pace, and I love the Thai flavors in particular. My coconut obsession inspired me to tinker around with coconut milk and I eventually made the Lovely Bunch of Pink Coconuts… but this is much better than my original creation.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Blanco Tequilia (Cabeza)
• .75 oz Campari
• .75 oz Cocchi Tornio
• .25 oz Coconut Liquor (Kalani)
• .25 oz Banana Liqueur (Giffard)
• 1 Pineapple Drinking Vinegar (Sohm)
• 1 dropper Thai chili tincture
• Banana Chip with 2 Drops of Sesame Oil (Garnish)

Glass

• Coupe

Instructions

• Make the Thai chili tincture by infusing 3 dried Thai chilies in 8 ounces of vodka for 3 dfays. Strain into a jar, and add into a dropper.
• Add all ingredients to a glass and stir
• Strain and serve.
• Garnish with banana chip.