Negroni
Let`s talk about the most widely reported version of this drink`s origin. Is that it was invented at Caffee Casoni in Florence in 1919.
Legend tells that Count Camillo Negroni asked his friend, bartender Forsco Scarselli, to strengthen his favourite cocktail - the Americano - by replacing the soda water with gin. Scarselli added an orange garnish, rather than lemon you`d usually get with an Americano, and the drink took off. Before long, everyone was coming into the bar for a "Negroni".
Camillo Negroni himself was an interesting figure. He travelled around America while in his twenties and lived the life of a cowboy for a period. He also lived in London, which, we like to think with its prevalent gin scene, led to him (perhaps inadvertenly) creating one of the most iconic cocktails of all time.
The Negroni family was quick to take advantage of the cocktail`s success too, founding the Negroni Desstillery in 1919, in Treviso, Italy, where they produced a ready-made version of the drink, sold as Antico Negroni.
The distillery is still open today, the under the ownership of a new family...