How to Make the ‘CinCin Negroni’ Cocktail

Bar manager extraordinaire Colin Turner keeps pumping out the drinks for CinCin customers

 

Granville recently stopped by CinCin restaurant—a bustling Italian cucina above Robson Street—to get the scoop on one of bar manager Colin Turner’s signature drinks, the CinCin Negroni. Turner put’s his own spin on one of his favourite cocktails, the Negroni, which is traditionally made with gin, red vermouth and Campari.

 

CinCin’s version of the Negroni has an Italian flare, of course, and features grappa, an Italian alcohol that Colin is hoping to promote. He is steadily amassing one of the largest collections of grappa in North America, currently pushing 70 labels, and hopes to hit the century mark by the end of this year.

 

The history of grappa, a key ingredient in the CinCin Negroni

 

The apple of the CinCin bar’s eye—a gleaming tower of almost 70 varieties of grappa, an Italian alcohol made from pomace. (Image: Aaron Barr)

 

A very popular drink in Italy with over 600 varieties, grappa used to be reserved for the lower class, as it was made from the by-products of wine (skins, seeds and stalks, called pomace) consumed by the upper class.

 

“Grappa, up until the late 60s, wasn’t very good; it wasn’t a high quality drink, although lots of people in Italy made it and drank it,” says Colin. Then a woman named Giannola Nonimo raised its profile when she began refining the process which resulted in a higher quality distillate. It’s now an iconic Italian drink whose name is protected by the European Union.

 

Colin, the consummate professional, showed us how to make this slightly bitter and deliciously refreshing cocktail while still running the busy bar, processing drink orders in between mixing and explaining.

 

Check out the video below for our interview with Colin and scroll down for the recipe so you can make your own CinCin Negroni.
 

 

CinCin Negroni cocktail recipe

 

All of the ingredients for this cocktail are available around town; Gourmet Warehouse carries orange bitters and Legacy Liquor Store carries Grappa, Aperol and Punt e Mes.

 

Ingredients

• 1 oz Beniamino Moscato Grappa
• 1 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Punt e Mes
• 3 drops Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters
• 2 strips of orange peel

Instructions

1. Stir with ice for 30 seconds
2. Strain onto fresh ice
3. Twist orange peel over glass to release oils
4. Serve with orange peel as garnish