Pre Dinner
Totem
01 September 2026
By Alessio Simonini, Brand ambassador for Negroni Antica Distilleria and bar manager of the sake cocktail bar Sakagura, Milan
For the cocktail
- 20 ml Bitter, Distilleria Negroni
- 20 ml Granit, Bavarian Gin
- 20ml Byrrh Aperitif
- 15ml Balsamic house-made shrub blended with Elixir Veneziano, Distilleria Negroni
- 3 mist Wild fennel extract spray
Method
Stir & Strain
Glassware
Martini Chiller
Garnish
Grapefruit peel, fresh melissa, red currant, edible flowers, Granite ice cube
Procedure
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass except wild fennel extract; stir and single strain inside the cup. Decorate with grapefruit peel.
Decorate the chiller with a thin layer of crushed ice, with melissa, red currant berries and edible flowers on top. Place the granite ice cube at the centre of this "forest-like" decoration, like a totem hidden in lush vegetation.
Finally, spray with a hint of wild fennel extract, which, together with melissa, will recall Granit Gin botanicals. A Negroni cocktail served in a cup, with distinctly balsamic and fruity notes of undergrowth; the use of Byrrh instead of classic sweet vermouth adds a delicate taste on the palate and softens the drink, which will make a good bitter-sweet pre-dinner quaff.
FOR A UNIQUE DRINK!