White Negroni
Gin, Lillet Blanc and Suze, stirred. Wayne Collins's 2001 Negroni made from French aperitifs — pale gold, gentian-bitter and floral, and the most successful Negroni variation of the century.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the gin, Lillet Blanc and Suze to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 25 seconds.
Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, or up into a chilled coupe.
Express a lemon twist over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- Suze is the drink; Salers or another gentian liqueur works in its place.
- Half an ounce of Suze makes a gentler version for a first try.
- A grapefruit twist suits it as well as lemon.
Common mistakes
- Equal parts, which lets the Suze take over.
- Lillet Rouge, which is a different and sweeter drink.
- Shaking.
A few good questions.
What does a White Negroni taste like?
Gin with a honeyed white-wine sweetness and an earthy, floral gentian bitterness — lighter and less orange than a Negroni.
What is Suze?
A French gentian aperitif, about 20%, yellow and bitter with a root-and-earth flavour.
Who invented it?
Wayne Collins at Vinexpo in Bordeaux, 2001.
Can I use Cocchi Americano?
Yes; it is more bitter than Lillet Blanc, so cut the Suze slightly.
Variations
- Negroni — Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
- Negroni Bianco — Gin, bianco vermouth and Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
- Boulevardier — Bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth.
- Vesper — Gin, vodka and Lillet.
Where it comes from
2001 · Bordeaux, France · Wayne Collins · Vinexpo
Wayne Collins, a London bartender working the Plymouth Gin stand at the Vinexpo wine fair in Bordeaux in 2001, was asked to make a Negroni and had no Campari or sweet vermouth to hand. He built one from what the French shelves had — Plymouth gin, Lillet Blanc for the vermouth, and Suze, the yellow gentian aperitif, for the Campari — and the White Negroni was born. It spread through London and New York bars over the following decade and became a standard once Suze reached the United States in 2012. It is bitter in a different way from the original, earthy gentian rather than bitter orange, and it is softer and more floral. The gin should lead; a half-ounce to three-quarters of Suze is plenty.
Sources
- Wayne Collins, Difford's Guide interview, 2014 (reference)
- Jim Meehan, Meehan's Bartender Manual, 2017 (book)
- Punch, The White Negroni, 2016 (reference)
Strength. About 1.63 US standard drinks at an estimated 25.1% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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