Imbibe’s Tasting Notes Newsletter, 09.14.20

A few years ago, while preparing a PowerPoint presentation about the history of the Negroni for a cocktail conference, I went down a research rabbit hole into old Campari advertisements. “Nine out of every 10,000 Americans prefer Campari,” went one tongue-in-cheek late ’70s ad campaign, playing off of the bitter aperitivo’s status as an acquired taste.  

I’m not sure if there’s a more accurate survey these days, but considering that today kicks off Negroni Week—a widely popular celebration of the cocktail that’s also a global fundraising initiative—it’s a safe bet that the drink’s bittersweet appeal has found an increasingly large and satisfied audience.

Since Negroni Week’s debut in 2013, thousands of bars and restaurants worldwide have together served countless Negronis and variations on the cocktail, while raising nearly $3 million for charitable causes. But this is 2020, a year in which seemingly everything is different, and that’s true for Negroni Week, too. Owing to the widespread closures and restrictions on bars and restaurants caused by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Negroni Week moved from June to September, and now the initiative has also shifted completely online, allowing everyone to celebrate safely at home.

But there are a couple of ways Negroni Week hasn’t changed. First, this weeklong celebration remains committed to raising money for charitable causes, and this year, those fundraising efforts are focused on helping hospitality workers and the bar and restaurant industry during this time of unprecedented hardship. The second thing that’s still constant? You’re invited to join in, by sipping Negronis for a good cause.

Head to negroniweek.com to see a list of this year’s charitable organizations and to make a donation if you can—we have an ambitious goal, and we’re hoping to meet or even surpass it. Also, be sure to visit imbibemagazine.com, where you’ll find recipes for the classic Negroni, as well as variations both new and old, and other Negroni-related stories. There’ll also be Negroni classes on Zoom throughout the week, and you can track our other Negroni Week adventures by following @imbibe on Instagram, listening to the latest episode of Radio Imbibe, and following the #negroniweek hashtag. And if you’re not already a subscriber to Imbibe, we’d love to have you join us—in honor of Negroni Week, $5 of every subscription this month goes to the Lee Initiative to help hospitality workers in need. Here’s how to subscribe.

I’ve got my own home bar ready to go. I’ll be mixing a Negroni variation today as part of the Campari Community’s events this week on Zoom—and lately I’ve been partial to a rum-based relative, the Kingston Negroni, shown on the cover of our September/October issue. See if you can find a new favorite take on the Negroni this week while also helping hospitality workers during this most challenging of years—we look forward to celebrating with you.