The Negroni was invented in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni asked for gin instead of soda water in an Americano.
According to the widely repeated origin story, the request was made at the Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy. The resulting drink combined gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, usually in equal proportions, and was finished with an orange garnish.
The Negroni is closely related to the Americano, which uses soda water in place of gin. It also inspired later variations, including the Boulevardier, which replaces gin with whiskey. Despite its simple recipe, different bars may adjust the proportions or use different gins and vermouths.
The cocktail’s exact early history is partly based on family and bar tradition, but 1919 and Count Negroni remain the standard account used in cocktail histories.