Rye Negroni

About the Rye Negroni

The Negroni is one of cocktail culture’s most enduring bitter classics, and the Rye Negroni gives it a whiskey fueled version of that same balance, built with equal parts Timber Creek’s Florida Black Rye Whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari, stirred and strained into a rocks glass. Traditionally built on gin, the Negroni’s bitter, herbal, slightly sweet profile takes on a spicier, more grounded character with rye in place of gin, and the equal parts format means none of the three ingredients can hide; each has to hold its own against the other two. That equal footing is a real test for the whiskey, and Timber Creek’s Florida Black Rye Whiskey is well equipped to pass it. Through the distillery’s PureBlend process, the rye grain is distilled and aged in its own individual barrel separately from the rest of the mash bill before blending, preserving a spicy, assertive character strong enough to stand toe to toe with Campari’s intense bitterness and vermouth’s herbal sweetness rather than getting lost between the two, the way a more delicate spirit often does in this format.

To build it, combine the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari in a mixing glass with ice, stir until well chilled, and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel, expressed over the glass to release its oils before draping it on the rim. Stirring, never shaking, is essential to keeping the texture silky and the color clear. This is a before dinner cocktail through and through, well matched to charcuterie or smoked meats, where the Negroni’s bitterness cuts through fat and salt and primes the appetite for what’s next.

It’s a strong choice for a dinner party opener or a slow evening built around good conversation. A Negroni is meant to be sipped, not rushed, so take your time and drink responsibly.

The Negroni is one of cocktail culture’s most enduring bitter classics, and the Rye Negroni gives it a whiskey fueled version of that same balance, built with equal parts Timber Creek’s Florida Black Rye Whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari, stirred and strained into a rocks glass. Traditionally built on gin, the Negroni’s bitter, herbal, slightly sweet profile takes on a spicier, more grounded character with rye in place of gin, and the equal parts format means none of the three ingredients can hide; each has to hold its own against the other two. That equal footing is a real test for the whiskey, and Timber Creek’s Florida Black Rye Whiskey is well equipped to pass it. Through the distillery’s PureBlend process, the rye grain is distilled and aged in its own individual barrel separately from the rest of the mash bill before blending, preserving a spicy, assertive character strong enough to stand toe to toe with Campari’s intense bitterness and vermouth’s herbal sweetness rather than getting lost between the two, the way a more delicate spirit often does in this format.

To build it, combine the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari in a mixing glass with ice, stir until well chilled, and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel, expressed over the glass to release its oils before draping it on the rim. Stirring, never shaking, is essential to keeping the texture silky and the color clear. This is a before dinner cocktail through and through, well matched to charcuterie or smoked meats, where the Negroni’s bitterness cuts through fat and salt and primes the appetite for what’s next.

It’s a strong choice for a dinner party opener or a slow evening built around good conversation. A Negroni is meant to be sipped, not rushed, so take your time and drink responsibly.