A Melbourne Spin on the Classic Negroni

To celebrate 10 years of Negroni Week, QT Hotels & Resorts are celebrating the beloved cocktail with a month long celebration and menu that’s Bitter & Twisted. Charging our skilled barmen with the task to put their own twist on the classic, Bitter & Twisted celebrates six new-age Negronis, each stirred with layers of local influence.

We sat down with our very own Bar Manager and cocktail concoctor, Joshua Hampshire to chat all things Negroni and how Melbourne inspired QT Melbourne’s cocktail.

So Josh, you’ve been around the block for a while, how long have you been a bartender?

Ha, I’ve been a bartender for 14 years working across various cities. I was initially drawn to bartending because of the creativity and all the wonderful conversations you have with customers. I’ve previously worked at Mesa Verde and The Ugly Duckling Cocktail.

Tell us about the first time you had an Negroni? Are you a Lover or hater?

The first time I experienced a Negroni was when I had moved to Sydney. I remember I just started drinking long blacks as my regular coffee order so the bitter balance of the Negroni really appealed to me, it very quickly became a favourite drink of mine and still is to this day.

What was the inspo behind your concoction?

With Melbourne being known as the coffee capital of Australia, it was obvious we had to incorporate coffee into the mix. Playing around with the ratios, I mixed in the perfect amount of coffee liqueur and the red grapefruit twist as a departure from the usual orange helps to accentuate those coffee notes and tie all the ingredients together. It’s delicious, step aside espresso martini, this is easily a new favourite!

What food would you order alongside the cocktail to round off the experience?

As any great bartender would say, I think cocktails are great by themselves! If I had to pick, my choice would be the antipasto board. The combination of the salty cold cuts and creamy cheeses work with the strong and bold flavours in the Negroni.

Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime Negroni expedition on the Rooftop at QT until the 30th of September. You can find more information about Bitter & Twisted here.