Ukrainian Negroni

2 oz Gin, Tanqueray
1 1⁄2 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica Formula
1⁄4 oz Campari
1⁄4 oz Herbal liqueur, Jeppson's Malort
1 twst Orange (Orange coin/peel flamed)
Instructions

Stir; strain; coupe. Garnish by flaming the orange slice/disk over the top by squeezing the essential oils out while igniting them with a lighter.

Notes

Description in the Chicago Reader: "Unlike Europeans, who have a large selection of challenging herbal spirits to choose from, Americans—'raised on Ho-Hos and Coca-Cola,' as Maloney puts it—haven't learned to appreciate the bitter."

History

Entered in Chicago Reader's "Great Malort Challenge" in 2009

Cocktail summary
Posted by mako on
Created by
Toby Maloney, Alchemy Consulting/The Violet Hour, Chicago, IL
Year
2009
Is an
authentic recipe
Reference

https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-great-malort-challenge/Conten…

Curator
Not yet rated
Average
3.5 stars
(3 ratings)
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Comments

Its a drinkable drink, but I can't imagine choosing this over a normal Negroni. One issue is the sweet vermouth ration, it is far too large and overpowering. The sweet vermouth is 3 times the amount of bitter. I prefer a ratio of 1 to 1 sweet vermouth to bitter in my normal Negroni.

 

This drink is unique because it uses Malort but at 1/4 oz in a 4oz drink I find its inclusion unnecessary. You got very little of the distinctive Malort flavor, which I personally think is a shame.

The drink is actually a pretty good variation on the Negroni if one adjusts the volumes to contemporary levels (and overall alcohol content.) A spirit forward 4 oz drink (original recipe) is too high of an alcohol content, especially compared to a 3 oz equal parts Negroni which is moderate in overall potency. So I used 1.5 oz Tanqueray, 1.25 oz Carpano, 1/4 oz Campari, 1/4 oz Jeppson's Malort with a flamed orange peel and found it a more subtle variation on a Negroni. The proportions and volume work, providing an intermediate potency, and the Malort has an intensity/character that carry through into a long bitter finish, with no residual sweetness.

I will update the original recipe for the flamed orange peel (not an orange slice) that was actually called for.