Enzoni

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Cocktail History

The Enzoni is a modern cocktail that was created by Vincenzo Errico while at Milk & Honey in New York City, New York. Named as a nod to an affectionate nickname given to Errico by his friends, the recipe is considered to be cross between a Negroni and a Gin Sour. It uses ingredients from the two classics, including gin, Campari, lemon, and simple syrup, but it uniquely omits the vermouth and uses muddled green grapes instead.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.

Campari: This is a liqueur made in Italy with a blend of gentian root, herbs, spices, and citrus, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a bold, bitter orange flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water, which are heated into a syrup with a sweet flavor.

Green Grapes: This is a small, sour green fruit.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. I used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Eye-popping orange red color

• Aroma: Gentian root and fresh citrus

• Taste: Dry flavor that gives way to herbal gin botanicals, bitter Campari, and obvious grape notes

• Finish: Slight citrus with more herbal flavors

Kendall’s Take
“The Enzoni is a clever riff on the Negroni that introduces lemon juice and fresh grapes into the mix. The small amount of citrus brightens the drink nicely and gives it a lighter, more refreshing feel than many Campari-based cocktails, in my opinion. Meanwhile, the grapes add a hint of sweetness that balances the bittersweet backbone. It’s a really interesting variation that highlights how versatile this style of cocktail can be.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.