IT’S NEGRONI WEEK!

We are smack dab in the middle of International Negroni Week (September 22 to 28). Started in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine, the week now boasts thousands of participating restaurants and bars around the world helping to raise money for charities.  2025 continues Negroni week’s commitment to the Slow Food push for “good, clean and fair food for all”.   

Slow Food unites the joy of food and beverage with the pursuit of justice. The organization defends cultural and biological diversity, promotes food education and the transfer of traditional knowledge and skills, and advocates for more just and equitable food policies. Among Slow Food’s many programs are the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, Coffee Coalition, Wine Coalition, and Snail of Approval—active networks that are passionate about creating food and beverage spaces that are good, clean, and fair for all. In 2023, Slow Food also launched the Negroni Week Fund to support projects that advance cultural and biological diversity and that focus on community-based food and beverage education and knowledge exchange.
Negroni Week Partners – Slow Food, Imbibe, and Campari

For Negroni week, we have 3 stamps for each component of a Negroni – Campari, Vermouth, and Gin. Think of it as a make your own Negroni stamp, since the world hasn’t seen fit to issue one for this iconic drink. The first features Campari, or rather advertising labels attached to 1925 Italian stamp for the bitter apéritif.. 

These advertising labels were attached to King Vittorio Emanuele III Leoni type stamp. This stamp was in circulation from 1919 to 1930, with the Campari ad version issued in the late 1924 to early 1925. The stamp was designed by N.Leoni and engraved by Alberto Repettati. It isn’t clear who did the ad designs for the two labels. But, we have a nice dog for certain readers who prefer dogs to cats. Yes, I do associate with dog people, especially when they are offering me a Negroni. 

Next is a meander over to Spain for one of their tax stamps issued for the sale of Vermouth. Oddly, the overprint vermuts aperitius translates to SUSPECT SNACKS. Google Translate can be quirky. 

Vermuts Aperitius tax revenue stamp
Issued by Barcelona in 1935
Designed by Oliva de Vilanova
de Vilanova created a number of interesting tax stamps for the Barcelona government.

And finally Gin, represented by the equally iconic Jenever/Genièvre from Belgium, to complete a Negroni. 

Jenever (Dutch Gin)
Issued in 2006 by Belgium as part of their 4th This is Belgium series.
Designed by Myriam Voz and Thierry Martin

There – our first do it yourself cocktail stamp. What classic drink should I deconstruct next?

Find out more about the Slow Food initiative here  Slow Food – Good, Clean and Fair Food for All

2024’s SOD was a celebration of Indian activist Bhikaiji Cama, or Madam Cama.