The white Negroni cocktail, a riff on the traditional Negroni, usually substitutes the bitter gentian liqueur Suze for Campari and the sweet white fortified wine Lillet for the vermouth. Invented by British bartender Wayne Collins at a spirits exhibition in Bordeaux, France, it did not become popular in the United States until Suze was first imported here in 2012. Since then, however, it’s become near-ubiquitous—for good reason.
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“A white Negroni is one of my favorite calls for a stirred gin cocktail—[it’s] crisp and spirit-forward, but not as potent as a martini,” says Liz Kelley, lead bartender at Cure in New Orleans. “They’re flavorful and bracing, but dryer and more subtle than a classic Negroni.”
How Bartenders Mix It Up
Like the original, the white Negroni is a fairly straightforward, equal-parts cocktail. And just as the red Negroni has spawned countless variations—such as the Boulevardier, the Old Pal and Sin Cyn—bartenders have created wide-ranging riffs on this new, pale-gold spin. One recent far-out version I came across, and thoroughly enjoyed, was at Tropezón in Miami Beach. The bartending staff mixed brown butter and sage-infused gin with white soy-infused Luxardo Bitter Bianco and El Bandarra white vermouth from Spain (made with Xarel-lo, white Grenache and over 50 botanicals).
“There’s appeal in offering variations on the white Negroni, because the white Negroni itself is a variation,” says Eva Suter, bar manager at Austin’s L’Oca d’Oro, and soon-to-open Bambino.
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Chances are, no matter where you go, mixologists will feature their own preferred combination of gin, gentian and fortified wine in their cocktail recipe. In some cases, these creative alterations extend to swapping out the base spirits, from the Prosecco-filled Negroni Sbagliato that went viral awhile back to agave-infused renditions.
“Mezcal Negronis and a white Negronis with mezcal get a hardy ‘heck ya’ from me,” Suter adds. “It’s fun to play with riffs here, but the family line is clear: [These are] drinks that live with a sense of history, but aren’t totally beholden to it.”
Choosing the Right Aperitif and Garnishes
Though the rules on this libation are already loose, the real fun of the white Negroni is playing with the non-gin elements. Gentian liqueurs that can substitute for Suze include Salers, Aveze and Luxardo Bitter Bianco, a product recently developed specifically for white Negronis that is a favorite of many bartenders (though its 30% ABV can overpower delicate Lillet). Those who choose to work the latter into their cocktails often substitute the Lillet for Dolin Blanc, Comoz Blanc, Carpano Bianco or Cocchi Americano Bianco.
Beyond gin and gentian preference, the choice of garnish—usually lemon, orange or grapefruit peel—can dramatically change which flavors and botanicals come through in the cocktail. For example, Cure’s current iteration features equal parts Bombay Dry, Salers and Comoz Blanc vermouth with lemon peel. This “yields a clean, elegant and approachable sipper that even a first-time white Negroni drinker will enjoy,” says Kelley.
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While the original recipe uses French ingredients—to match the country in which it was conceived—many bartenders look to the Negroni’s home country for inspiration. The Negroni Bianco at New York’s Trattoria One Fifth, which has been on the menu since day one, is a mix of gin, Luxardo Bitter Bianco and Carpano Bianco. “Being an Italian restaurant, we set out to create a version of the drink that was based on Italian spirits and a nod to the classic Negroni,” says partner Sabato Sagaria.
Before embarking on your own journey of white Negroni experimentation, we suggest starting with the original recipe to get a sense of how the different elements interact with one another.
How to Make a White Negroni Cocktail
Recipe adapted by Nils Bernstein
Since you’re making this at home and not a bar, this white Negroni cocktail recipe features generous portions. Once you savor the original, play around with the ratios, and experiment with other gentian liqueurs and white fortified wines, to find your preferred “house” version.
- 1.5 ounces London Dry or Plymouth gin
- 1.5 ounces Suze
- 1.5 ounces Lillet Blanc
- Grapefruit peel, for garnish
Step 1
FAQ
What’s the Difference Between a Negroni and a White Negroni?
A white Negroni is just a Negroni with the Campari and sweet vermouth swapped out for paler (not quite “white”) versions of the same thing. The original recipe uses French ingredients: the bittersweet aperitif Suze (for the Campari) and lightly sweet and floral fortified wine Lillet (for the sweet red vermouth). If doing your own riff on the drink, any pale-colored aromatized wine (a.k.a. fortified wines flavored with herbs and spices) and bitter liqueur can be used.
What Is a Substitute for Suze in White Negroni?
If you don’t have Suze or want to experiment with different flavors, try Aveze, Salers or Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
What Is the Story Behind the White Negroni?
In 2001, London-based bartender Wayne Collins was in Bordeaux for Vinexpo, an annual wine and spirits exhibition, with the then-director of Plymouth Gin. Craving a Negroni, they went to a liquor store, where Wayne was inspired to make a Negroni with all French ingredients. He bought Suze and Lillet, fiddled around with it at their hotel, and the white Negroni was born. Both he and the Plymouth Gin folks were excited to promote the new “white Negroni” in the U.K.. However, it didn’t take off at first because only a few bars having both Suze and Lillet in stock. It wasn’t until Suze’s growth outside France—especially when it was imported to the U.S. starting in 2012—that the drink started exploding in popularity.
Published: March 4, 2024
