A bartender sets down a heavy-bottomed glass, drops in a single clear cube and pours three equal measures over it. Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. A few slow turns of the spoon, a strip of orange peel twisted over the top, and the ruby drink slides across the counter. The first sip is bitter, then sweet, then bitter again. Across India’s cocktail bars, that same ritual plays out night after night, and for Negroni Week 2026, it took centre stage.
The Negroni’s story begins, as the most repeated version goes, in Florence around 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender at Caffè Casoni to strengthen his usual Americano by swapping the soda for gin, with an orange peel replacing the lemon to mark the difference. More than a century later, it remains the drink bartenders reach for after a shift, simple enough to make anywhere and complex enough to never grow dull. In 2013, Imbibe turned that devotion into Negroni Week, a global celebration that invites bars around the world to pour the cocktail for a cause. Held from 21 to 27 September, the 2026 edition raised a glass in support of Slow Food and its work towards a more sustainable and equitable food ecosystem. In India, bars from Gurugram to Mumbai joined in, each reimagining the classic in its own way.
Twists on a Classic
AER, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai
At Mumbai’s celebrated rooftop bar, reimagining the Negroni begins with a look homewards. The Amaro Nero combines Buffalo Trace Bourbon, The Great Amaro Liqueur and bitters, rested overnight in an unsalted butter-seasoned earthen clay pot.
Also Read: Step Upstairs: Where Martinis Meet Mystique At Indian Accent’s New Bar
Drawing on India’s long tradition of clay, the technique softens the spirit into notes of bittersweet orange, dark cacao and roasted almond. La Dolce Vita takes a lighter route, pairing Malfy Gin, Amaro Montenegro and Campari with cold brew coffee and soda. For Negroni Week, guest Negronis also travelled in from Copitas at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru and BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.
Ambassador, New Delhi, IHCL SeleQtions
At Ambassador, the Negroni becomes a journey through a century of bitter elegance, told in five iconic pours. The Classic Negroni sets the benchmark, joined by the Americano, the very drink the Count once asked to have strengthened. The Negroni Sbagliato brings a sparkling lift, while the Café Negroni adds a coffee-kissed depth. An aromatic White Fennel Negroni closes the flight, showing just how far one drink can stretch while staying true to itself.
Rick’s, Taj Mahal, New Delhi
In the heart of Delhi, Rick’s gives the Negroni a more intimate stage. Named after the brooding hero of Casablanca, the urban lounge bar is known for progressive cocktails and innovative techniques. Its extensive selection of wines and spirits sits alongside Southeast Asian fare. The sophisticated, low-lit atmosphere makes every Negroni feel like an occasion.
Tease, Taj City Centre Gurugram
Gurugram’s evening crowd finds its Negroni fix at Tease. The bar is known for its contemporary setting, moody lighting and house music. An energetic indoor bar opens onto an atmospheric alfresco space built for lingering. Its focus on cocktails and innovative infusions makes it a natural home for one of the world’s most enduring classics.
Raunaq Bar, The Oberoi Sukhvilas
Far from the city lights, the Negroni is among the favourite classics at Raunaq Bar, reimagined not in the glass but in the ritual around it. Wrapped by the Siswan Forest in the Himalayan foothills, the resort is built around slowing down and reconnecting with nature.
Also Read: Where to Plan a Luxury Monsoon Weekend Escape from Delhi
Here the cocktail marks the unhurried drift from day into evening, as the forest grows quiet. Sink into a plush armchair by the fireplace beneath hand-painted frescoes of legendary warriors, or step into the fort-like courtyard, lit by flaming mashaal torches after sunset.
