|| Negroni Style – Rosemary & Violet | & | Sbagliato Style – Absinthe & Aperol ||
After I posted my Necropolitan, someone commented I should also do a Necronomicon, with rosemary. So I did, and I also threw in a third member of the family, a low-alcohol version.
The Necronomicon you recognize of course from H.P. Lovecraft, and rosemary was suggested (I suppose) because it is associated with protection and hung over cradles and doorways. My own association was also that a floral note would create a more mystical vibe, to replace the assertiveness of the absinthe plus smoke from the Necropolitan.
Spoiler, it worked surprisingly well with pretty much the same template!
I introduce the rosemary through an Italian herbs tincture that I still had lying around. I didn’t write down the recipe for that, but I’m pretty confident that the exact measurements don’t matter much. I just infused leftover fresh rosemary, thyme and sage in 97% alcohol for a couple of days. There was more rosemary than thyme, and only a little sage in my case, so the rosemary is the dominant flavour, the others are there as support.
Necronomicon recipe:
- 30 ml Aperol
- 30 ml Dolin Dry
- 15 ml White Rum (Havana 3 yo)
- 7.5 ml Dark Overproof Rum (Plantation OFTD)
- 3 ml Italian herbs tincture
- 2 ml Creme de Violet
Stir & Strain, garnish with lavender or rosemary or similar.
The balance in this drink is excellent, and it hits the mystical vibe very well. It’s not particularly bitter, but is complex and has a long and pleasant aftertaste.
The exact rums I used are probably not that important, but what is really important is that one of them must have enough caramel notes. The caramel was essential for getting the texture of the drink right, otherwise it was too thin, and the herbs and violet are more rounded with it. With this combination the rum flavour doesn’t stand out, but I think replacing it all with 22.5ml of a Demerara Rum would work too, for a more outspoken rumminess and warmer body.
The last addition to the family is a simple low-ABV variation that I can’t claim is very original, but I do enjoy it very much. Because a Negroni is a stronger version of an Americano, this drink will be called a Necropolitano, and we can add bubbles for a Sbagliato version.
Necropolitano (Sbagliato):
- 30 ml Aperol
- 30 ml Lillet Blanc
- 30 ml Bubbles (soda or sparkling wine)
- 2-3 ds Absinthe
Build in a wine glass with ice, garnish with grapefruit
Without the absinthe it would of course not be part of the family, 2 or 3 dashes is just enough to give a pleasant edge to a rounded body. It’s important the we use Lillet Blanc in the Necropolitano instead of the white sherry from the Necropolitan, that really doesn’t work because it’s too dry and I think the honey and floral notes probably help too.
Looking back over this family, I find it pleasing that each of them uses a different white aromatized or fortified wine. I tried other permutations but the Manzanilla (or Fino) sherry really works best for the Necropolitan, the dry vermouth best for the Necronomicon and Lillet Blanc for the Necropolitano.