When prepared properly, a classic cocktail is blended together in one of two ways: It’s shaken or it’s stirred, and with few exceptions (we’re talking to you, Martini!), never the twain shall meet. The margarita is a sour and the reigning queen of tequila-based libations. To stir one would be to commit a crime against the crown. An aromatic negroni, on the other hand, should no sooner be shaken than served with a salted rim. Them’s the rules, folks, and they are non-negotiable. How do these two classic cocktails compare? Well, we’ll set ’em, you knock ’em back.
Negroni
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Margarita
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| MOST PLAUSIBLE ORIGIN STORY
Invented by an Italian count named Camillo |
MOST PLAUSIBLE ORIGIN STORY Tijuana restaurant owner Carlos Herrera named his |
| CLASSIC INGREDIENTS
London Dry gin, Campari, sweet vermouth |
CLASSIC INGREDIENTS
Tequila, lime juice, triple sec |
| RANKING ON THE 2019 WORLD’S BEST-SELLING CLASSIC LIST #2 |
RANKING ON THE 2019 WORLD’S BEST-SELLING CLASSIC LIST #8 |
| DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY TO MAKE
Easy |
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY TO MAKE
Easy enough |
| NUMBER OF DAYS DEVOTED TO IT
7 |
NUMBER OF DAYS DEVOTED TO IT 1 |
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THE PLACE TO ORDER ONE IN THE US Dante in Greenwich Village |
THE PLACE TO ORDER ONE IN THE US Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco |
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RECENT CLAIM TO FAME Italian director Federico Micali made a 
Gianluca Perticoni |
RECENT CLAIM TO FAME Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt quaff margaritas 
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STRANGEST VARIATION At Nostrana in Portland, Ore., they serve a |
STRANGEST VARIATION Deep-fried margaritas are served annually |
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ESSENTIAL READING Negroni Cocktail: An Italian Legend by Luca Picchi |
ESSENTIAL READING The Great Margarita Book by Al Lucero |
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MOST EXPENSIVE VERSION SOLD $1,000 
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MOST EXPENSIVE VERSION SOLD $1,200 
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