Negroni - Round 2

Once upon a time, in a reality far far away, a younger version of myself ordered a Negroni, which was on special at a good bar.  Upon tasting the potion served to me, I cried out in shock, oh-my-god this is bitter?!  Who would drink such a travesty?...and then it was back to vodka cranberries for 2 months. 

Not 2 months down the line I had my first whiskey sour (made w/o sour mix), which I still remember vividly.  This introduction to the rabbit hole of cocktails lead me down an interesting road and I am now back to wrestle with the bitter Italian digestivo that is the oh so popular Negroni.

Composed of equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, stirred and garnished with an orange peel, this drink is, indeed, bitter.  While my first sip reminded me of my previous experiences with Campari, I very quickly overcame the bitterness and noticed all the subtle floral and orange notes I had previously missed.  Not only that, but my now emblazoned palate was now perceiving sweet notes in the drink as well....offsetting the bitterness.  I think previously I was just overwhelmed by the quinine-bitter notes to the point of excluding all other flavors.  As it is now I am still not sure how to characterize this drink exactly...but if you like bitter drinks or Italian stuff in general definitely give the Negroni a try, and if you don't like it keep an open mind and try it again in a year or two.

Below is my slightly modified version

Negroni
1 1/3 oz gin (Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Martini)
3 dashes Regan's orange bitters
Stir and garnish with orange peel