Unless you're below the Mason-Dixon line, spring has yet to arrive. I do my part to encourage the season's arrival by shifting my drink repertoire from wintery whiskeys to lighter and crisper fares. Since mint, the star of spring's best cocktails, is just barely poking its head through the ground we have to find another way to shift the drink spectrum. When I'm in need of some cocktail inspiration I always turn to the Washington Post's eminent cocktail columnist, Jason Wilson. Wilson is an avid fan of the bitter aperitif Campari, a cordial Meghan has mixed with club soda from time-to-time. The recipe for Campari is as secretive as the drink is bitter. The Italian liqueur is as odd and unique as any drink you will ever find, as noted by Deirdre Heekin in her collection of essays and wanderings in the world of wine and spirits:
Perhaps every Campari is a first Campari and each time you drink it the taste surprises you and marks the experience that much more clearly, while at the same time bringing on a flood of all the past Campari. -Deirdre Heekin: Libation, A Bitter Alchemy
If you've been around grit and grapes for a while you'll know that we have a preference for all things bitter (see: Victory IPA and the Gin & Grapefruit). Inspired by Wilson's search for the perfect summer cocktail, we embarked on a Campari voyage. We began with the Negroni and dabbled in the Boulevardier, and these drinks have without a doubt turned our cocktail world upside down. They're bitter yet crisp, refreshing yet odd, and wildly drinkable. Cut to three bottles of Campari later. These cocktails have made many appearances on the rocks or straight up in our martini glasses and there's no end in site. Buy a bottle of Campari for $20 and don't look back.
Negroni
On the rocks or shook over ice and served straight up
- 1 part Gin
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet Vermouth
Boulevardier
On the rocks or shook over ice and served straight up
- 1 part Bourbon
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet Vermouth
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