Cocktail of the Month: The Negroni, Subtly Refreshed

Recently at the Sacchi Bar in Zurich, it was one of those evenings when no market research is needed. You simply listen: to the brief ordering moments at the bar, the crackle of ice in the glass, the casual «two Negronis» from the neighboring table.

The Negroni is not just a cocktail. It is the drink one returns to — because it is reliable, because it has character, and because in a time of exaggerated aromatics it remains pleasantly clear: bitter, herbal, precise.

A Conversation with the Host

That evening I had brought a friend — and we met Claudio Sacchi. Not behind the counter, but as part of the room, a host in conversation, with that understated manner that immediately gives a bar calm.

The Sacchi Bar has received additional attention in recent weeks: a drink and a mention in the «Kaulitz Hills» universe can nowadays spark curiosity among people who might otherwise have walked past such a door. Claudio also mentioned that the much-discussed «Kaulitz date» in Zurich has not yet taken place. These small pop-cultural side currents suddenly meet serious bars — and raise the question of what remains once the hype moves on.

A Date Bar in the Best Sense

At Sacchi Bar, above all, one thing remains: quality. And an atmosphere rarely so well balanced in Zurich. A date bar in the best sense — intimate enough to feel close, but not so tight that one feels observed. Style without theatre. And a Negroni that does not need to be «creatively reinterpreted» to stay relevant.

Of course, we did not only drink Negronis. Between the reddish-bitter rounds we also tried the wine-by-the-glass selection — and that is precisely a detail one must credit this bar for.

Gems in the Glass

The open-wine offering does not feel like an obligation but like a deliberately curated side stage. There were indeed a few gems: wines with profile that do not merely accompany but expand an evening. One senses: beverages are taken seriously here, not only the cocktails.

But back to the Negroni.

Love of a Classic

Over the years you have come to know me a little, and you know: I love classics. For precisely that reason I do not search for «new» drinks, but for meaningful nuances — small interventions that improve something without betraying the original. With the Negroni this is delicate, because its genius lies in simplicity: gin, red vermouth, Campari — equal parts, clear architecture, a balance of bitterness and herbs that has proven itself for generations.

And yet there is a wish I hear again and again — even from people who love the Negroni: «Just a touch fresher.» Not lighter. Not sweeter. Simply a bit more tension, more brightness, without softening the bitterness.

Kinley Bitter Lemon as an Accent

This is exactly where my variation begins. Two elements suffice: 2 cl fresh lemon juice and a splash of Kinley Bitter Lemon as a topping. Lemon juice as a precise acidity point that lifts the drink and sharpens the herbal structure. Bitter Lemon as a citrus-bitter echo with carbonation that lengthens the finish without diluting the foundation.

Kinley belongs to the Coca-Cola portfolio — a classic mixer that here does not serve as a «filler», but as the final accent.

Recipe – Negroni, Just a Touch Fresher

… 2 cl fresh lemon juice
… 3 cl Aberturret Gin
… 3 cl red vermouth (Cocchi)
… 3 cl Campari
… Splash Kinley Bitter Lemon (topping)

Preparation

The ingredients — except the Bitter Lemon — go into the shaker, are shaken vigorously on ice and then double-strained into a suitable tumbler. Only then is a splash of Kinley Bitter Lemon added on top.

The result is not a «Negroni Light». It remains bitter, adult, self-assured. Yet it feels as if someone had opened a window: more pull on the palate, clearer contours, livelier length. And the beauty of it: one can always return to the purist classic afterwards — because this version does not replace, but expands. Exactly how a good evening in a bar should work.

The drink passed the neighborhood test one hundred percent and was happily finished.

#Cheers!

Peter Jauch is…

… a spirits sommelier with a penchant for high-end cocktails, often pairing them with fine food.
… author of coffee-table books on gin & champagne.
… an experienced spirits and champagne tasting host.
… co-organizer of an experiential festival together with friends.