Add 1 oz Aplos Mandora (or mandarin-forward sweet vermouth), 1 oz London dry gin, 1 oz Campari, and 2 dashes orange bitters into a mixing glass. If you prefer a slightly sweeter, smoother finish, add 0.25 tsp simple syrup.

Chill by stirring

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice. Stir briskly but smoothly with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 strokes) until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted. The goal is a clear, cold, slightly diluted Negroni — not over-diluted.

Prepare serving glass

Place a single large ice cube (or a few large cold cubes) into an old fashioned (rocks) glass. If you like the glass colder, chill it briefly in the freezer beforehand.

Strain and finish

Strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared rocks glass over the large ice cube using a Hawthorne or julep strainer so the liquid is clear and free of small shards of ice.

Garnish & Serve

Using a channel knife or vegetable peeler, cut a wide strip of mandarin or orange peel (about 1.5–2" long). Hold the peel over the glass, skin side down, and give it a firm twist to express the citrus oils over the surface of the drink. Optionally rub the peel around the rim of the glass to impart aroma, then drop the peel into the drink as garnish.

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to enjoy the interplay of bitter Campari, mandarin-sweet herbal Aplos Mandora, and the backbone of gin. If preferred, adjust sweetness next time by adding or omitting the 0.25 tsp simple syrup.

Cleanup & Notes

Rinse mixing glass and spoon promptly to avoid sticky residue from vermouth and Campari. Aplos Mandora will keep in the bottle refrigerated for several months; if using a homemade mandarin vermouth, store chilled and consume within a few weeks.