Cynar Negroni

The Negroni gets an earthy Italian makeover when Campari is swapped for Cynar. Darker in color and softer in bite, this artichoke-forward variation delivers layers of caramel, dried herbs, and gentle bitterness alongside gin and sweet vermouth.

The Cynar Negroni substitutes Cynar artichoke amaro for Campari in the Negroni's equal-parts formula, producing a version that is earthier, darker, and more savory than the standard preparation while preserving the cocktail's essential bitter-sweet-herbal balance. Cynar was created in Venice, Italy in 1952 by Angelo Dalle Molle, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who later became known for his environmentalist activism and his attempts to ban automobiles from Venice. The liqueur takes its name from Cynara scolymus, the scientific name for the globe artichoke, which is among its 13 botanicals — though the artichoke contributes flavor character rather than a dominant taste, the liqueur's profile being closer to herbal caramel than to anything vegetable-specific. Cynar was acquired by the Campari Group in 1995, connecting it commercially to the Campari at whose position it stands as the primary substitute in the Cynar Negroni. The craft cocktail movement's systematic exploration of Italian amari from the 2000s onward positioned Cynar as one of the most versatile amaro substitutes in cocktail applications: its lower ABV (16.5%) compared to Campari (25%) means using Cynar in a Negroni structure produces a slightly less spirit-forward result, the drink reading as warmer and more caramel-tinged than the Campari version's sharp citrus bitterness.