The Case For Making Negronis With Rum

With more than 10 years of professional experience and a Certified Sommelier accreditation, Molly Horn knows her way around the bar. As chief mixologist and spirits educator at Total Wine & More, Horn regularly reviews new trends and products to find ways to enhance the customer experience. In a recent interview with The Takeout, Horn shared one of her favorite ways to upgrade a classic Negroni (which Anthony Bourdain once called a perfect cocktail). Although it's traditionally made with gin, Campari (a bitter Italian spirit), and sweet vermouth, you can create an entirely different cocktail experience by substituting another spirit in place of gin.

"As a huge rum fan, I am very partial to the Kingston Negroni," Horn says. "Rum, a naturally sweeter-presenting spirit... works surprisingly well (when you contrast its character as compared to gin) with the components of a Negroni." To make this drink work and keep the sweetness from overpowering the bittersweet Campari, Horn has an easy hack. "The key is to use a complex and full-bodied aged rum that leans dryer, such as many an expression from the Dominican Republic or Venezuela. One of my favorites for this use case is Bolivar."

Horn adds that adjusting the ratio of ingredients slightly helps to maintain the delicate harmony between the rum and the liqueurs. "I like to use ratios along the lines of a Boulevardier: 1½ ounces rum, ¾ ounce each of sweet vermouth and Campari."

Depending on the weather, the season, or your mood, it's easy to get creative with variations on a basic Negroni. One of Horn's favorites is called a White Negroni, which swaps out sweet vermouth and Campari for Lillet blanc (a French aperitif) and Suze (a slightly bitter French liqueur). "I do love a White Negroni, especially in the summer — it's lighter and brighter and a little more tart than savory, which is exactly what I am looking for in the warmer months," she says.  

Another simple adaptation is the even boozier Boulevardier (Alton Brown's favorite cocktail). Originally stemming from 1920s Paris, the drink's name means roughly "a man-about-town." In this version, gin is replaced with bourbon or rye whiskey to amp up the warm, savory notes alongside the herbaceous Campari and sweet vermouth. 

"I will lean more toward a Boulevardier in the winter, especially when I'm in the mood for something with a little more of a punch," Horn explains. "In which case I'll build it around a bold, high-rye bourbon like Bondstone Double Oak."