Cardinale, a traditional Italian cocktail

We haven’t been talking about Italian traditional cocktail for a while but yesterday I’ve been offered a Cardinale , such a traditional old style cocktail that now is having a new life. And even just the colour makes it great.

The Cardinale is a classic Italian cocktail, created at the Hotel Excelsior in Rome in the 1950s. Known as the “dry version” of the Negroni, the cocktail takes its name from its inventor: the drink was created by a cardinal who frequently stayed in Rome, specifically at the Hotel Excelsior on Via Veneto. The cocktail was served by the bartender exclusively for him, who had created the recipe.

Official Recipe

Ingredients

• Dry Vermouth: 20 ml (French is recommended)

• Gin: 40 ml

• Campari Bitter: 10 ml

• Technique: Stir (mixed in a mixing glass with ice)

• Glass: Cocktail glass or lowball glass

• Garnish: Lemon zest

How to Make It

1. Chill: Fill a cocktail glass and a mixing glass with ice to chill them.

2. Mix: Pour the gin, dry vermouth, and Campari bitters into the mixing glass, drained of excess water.

3. Stir: Gently swirl with a bar spoon for about 10-15 seconds to chill and dilute the drink.

4. Strain and Serve: Empty the ice from the cocktail glass and strain the drink into it.

5. Flavor: Squeeze a lemon peel over the cocktail to release the essential oils and rub it around the rim of the glass.

Differences with the Negroni (recipe here )

Compared to the classic Negroni, which uses red vermouth (sweeter and fuller-bodied), the Cardinale favors a dry vermouth. This gives the drink a cleaner, more vinous, and decidedly more bitter aromatic profile, making it a perfect aperitif to stimulate the appetite without overdoing it with sugar.