While I’m a bit late for Negroni week, it’s never to late to enjoy one, or a variation and such. It just so happens that ShakeStir.com feels the same way, and as such they decided it would be a good theme for their monthly Flash Competition series. Create a variation of one of the iconic cocktails in the world, the Negroni.

I’ve done a few of these variations over the years, my favorite in particular The Negroni That Wasn’t, in which I posted about quite some time ago. While it was a delicious tipple, it unfortunately didn’t incorporate any of the sponsored brands that were prerequisite for the competition. The theme, and brands vary from month to month, as do some of the rules. Oh, it also carries from region to region as they put on multiple competitions for different states. This keeps things lively and you never really feel like you’re entering the same competition each month.

With the weather getting more summer-esque, I opted to do a more loosely based Negroni variant, one that incorporated an uncommon cocktail technique, the swizzle. Essentially a swizzle is simply a cocktail that is built in a double rocks glass or even julep cup, over crushed iced, then using a traditional swizzle stick that you place between your palms, rub (aka swizzle) the living heck of it until frost forms on the outside of the serving vessel. Kinda like when you tried to start a fire in boy scouts, but never got to work. This is far more satisfying, and rewarding I might add. And, with the addition of Pisco and Strega, it’s nothing short of interesting since I don’t use these ingredients as often as I should.

In the end, it won! So, for your tasting pleasure, here is the winning June recipe for you to swizzle away at and drink one or two while lifting your glass up to the Count himself. Trust me, he’d be right there with you. Cheers.

The Count’s Swizzle

1 1/4 oz Kappa Pisco

3/4 oz Campari

1/2 J.D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum

1/2 oz Strega

3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine ingredients in a double rocks glass or Collins with crushed ice. Swizzle till frost forms on the outside of the glass and proper dilution has occurred. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with a nice swath of lemon peel.

Photo Courtesy of ShakeStir.com