For this variation on the classic Negroni, we’re going to use a Brazilian spirit called Cachaça, made from sugar cane. Commonly found in the Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil, cachaça plays very well in this cachaça negroni too!
How Is a Cachaça Negroni different?
For the cachaça negroni, we are going to swap the botanical gin for the spunkier tropical flavor of cachaça. The one for one trade had something missing, since gin overall is a more complex spirit than cachaça. I remedied this by adding just a tiny squeeze of fresh lime juice, which really rounded out the cocktail and made it something truly unique.
What we’re keeping from the classic negroni is the sweet vermouth and the Campari, both bringing their characteristic flavors and making sure we’re staying firmly in negroni territory. My go-to vermouth is Dolin Rouge as it plays well in cocktails, but for this specific variation I use Rosemont Capitoline. It’s a little more complex than the dolin and really helps replace some of the botanical aspects of the missing gin.
How To Make a Cachaça Negroni
The construction for this Brazilian negroni variation is pretty much the same as the classic negroni, with the small addition of a small squeeze of lime juice. The cachaça/vermouth/Campari ratio is going to remain the same, so still easy to remember.
Cachaça Negroni Recipe
- 1oz Cachaça (my favorite is Leblon)
- 1oz sweet vermouth (I use Dolin Rouge or Rosemont Capitoline)
- 1oz Campari
- 1 small squeeze of lime juice
Combine all spirits in a mixing glass, fill halfway with ice (should barely cover the liquid) and stir for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with a single large cube. Garnish with a lime slice.