Americano
The grandfather of the Negroni — Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda. Italy's original aperitivo.
Time
2 min
Difficulty
Effortless
Glass
Highball or rocks
Method
Built in glass
The Method
How to make it
- 01
Fill a highball glass with ice.
- 02
Add the Campari and sweet vermouth.
- 03
Top with cold soda water — about 3 to 4 ounces.
- 04
Stir gently to combine.
- 05
Garnish with the orange slice and, if you like, a lemon twist.
Bartender's Tip
If you can find Italian-style soda (smaller bubbles, slightly mineral), use it. Big aggressive seltzer bubbles muddle the Campari's bitterness.
A Little History
Born in 1860s Milan as the 'Milano-Torino' — Campari (from Milan) and Punt e Mes (from Turin) on the rocks. American tourists in the early 1900s started asking for it lengthened with soda, and Italian bartenders renamed it 'Americano' in their honor. It's also the first cocktail James Bond orders in print — Casino Royale, 1953, in chapter seven.
