Arak Negroni Recipe

Chill glass

Place the Old Fashioned (rocks) glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you build the cocktail to chill it. Discard the ice water before pouring.

Combine spirits and bitters

In a mixing glass filled with ice (about 3/4 full), add 1 oz arak, 1 oz gin, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of orange bitters.

Stir to chill and dilute

Using a bar spoon, stir the mixture briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full spoon turns) until well chilled and slightly diluted. This balances the higher alcohol content of arak.

Prepare glass and garnish

If chilling with ice water, empty the glass and add a large clear ice cube or a few fresh ice cubes to the chilled glass.

Strain and finish

Strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared rocks glass over the ice.

Express orange oil and garnish

Hold the orange peel over the drink and give it a firm twist to express the oils across the surface, then rub the peel around the rim and drop it into the glass as garnish.

Serve

Serve immediately. Sip slowly — arak brings an anise-forward note that opens as the drink warms and dilutes slightly.

If using a shaker rather than a mixing glass, combine ingredients with ice, shake briefly (8–10 seconds) to chill, then double-strain into the rocks glass. Note: stirring is preferred for spirit-forward cocktails like this to maintain clarity and texture.

If you prefer a bit more anise character, increase arak to 1.25 oz and reduce gin to 0.75 oz. For a milder profile, reduce arak to 0.75 oz and increase gin to 1.25 oz; maintain total spirit volume at 3 oz for balance.