White Negroni

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Table of Contents:

• Video: How to Make a White Negroni
•  History
• Ingredients & Comparison to the Classic Negroni
• Variations
• Our Variation
• Recipe

Love the idea a Negroni but can’t quite get into it when you actually have one? Enter the White Negroni, a refreshing twist on the classic cocktail. It still carries that bitter-sweet combination of flavors of the traditional Negroni, but since it’s a bit lighter than the original recipe, I personally find it more drinkable.

This variation swaps out the original ingredients for a combination of gin, Lillet Blanc, and Suze Gentian liqueur. This combo creates a crisp gin cocktail that’s perfect for any time of the year, whether you’re enjoying it by the fire during the holidays or want to sip it poolside during the warm summer months. It’s super popular this time of year, but I think it’s perfect all year long!

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How to Make a White Negroni

Check out the video below, where Chris walks you through making this modern classic and demonstrates a fun variation. Whether you’re a fan of the original recipe or not, this version is a nice twist:

History of the White Negroni

The White Negroni is a relatively recent addition to the cocktail world, co-created in 2001 by the late British bartender, Wayne Collins, while he was in Bordeaux, France for the Drinks International cocktail competition (which takes place during VinExpo, an annual wine and spirits exhibition).

But this wasn’t even his entry! It was actually created the night before the contest with his friend, Nick Blacknell, the director of Plymouth gin at the time. The two decided to make drinks at their guest house rather than go out (apparently their cocktail bar options were limited around where they were staying), and Blacknell craved a Negroni.

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At the store, they decided to use French ingredients for authentic flavors of their host country (when in Rome– er, Bordeaux– and all that): Lillet Blanc (a wine-based aperitif that’s kind of like a French blanc vermouth) and Suze (a French gentian liqueur).

The drink was designed to offer a different take on the Negroni using lighter ingredients to create a more approachable yet still complex cocktail. It took a while for this recipe to take off, though, because Suze & Lillet  aren’t super common ingredients outside of France. In fact, Suze wasn’t even legally available in the States at the time.

However, over the years, the White Negroni eventually gained popularity with cocktail enthusiasts for being a bit more palatable than the original version– thanks in large part to American bartender & bar owner Audrey Saunders, of New York’s Pegu Club fame, who was introduced to the cocktail and then smuggled Suze home with her on her trips to England, ultimately bringing the White Negroni to America.

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White Negroni Ingredients: Classic Negroni vs. White Negroni

Before we break down all the cocktail ingredients and how they work in the final drink, let’s look at the original recipe first to compare:

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Traditional Negroni

The classic version of this Italian cocktail is equal parts, although you’ll see later that this formula doesn’t actually work for its famous variation:

• 1 ounce Gin: A base spirit of gin provides an herbal & floral flavor that contrasts with the drink’s bitter finish.
• 1 ounce Campari: This bitter liqueur brings the signature flavor the original recipe is known for.
• 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth: Fortified wine adds a much-needed sweet taste.
• Finish with an orange peel garnish.

The result is a bitter aperitif cocktail that isn’t for everyone, if I’m being honest.

On the other hand, the style we’re making today is a gin cocktail that still brings bittersweet notes but is a much more balanced version, in my opinion. Notice that with this one, we move away from the 3-ingredient cocktail profile with the addition of cocktail bitters.

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Despite what it might sound like, this recipe doesn’t simply replace the sweet vermouth with white vermouth (dry vermouth). That would just make it pale orange when mixed with the Campari and remove the much-needed sweetness. Rather, there are a couple of key changes that affect both the taste and color.

• Gin: The base spirit provides a crisp and clean foundation, bringing botanical notes to the forefront. This is the same base spirit used in the original, but we’ll up the amount a bit.
• Lillet Blanc: This French aperitif replaces the sweet vermouth, adding a subtle sweetness and an orange citrus note.
• Suze Gentian Liqueur or Cocchi Americano: Either option introduces a bitter component, with Suze offering a more pronounced bitterness and Cocchi Americano bringing a lighter, more floral bitterness. Suze is more traditional here, but Cocchi Americano is a common replacement (much like subbing in Aperol for Campari in the original).
• Orange Bitters: A dash enhances the drink’s bitterness and rounds out the flavors with a touch of citrus. This is an addition not found in the regular Negroni, but I think it brings a lot of roundness to the final drink.
• Lemon Twist: Add a twist of lemon peel garnish to this version, rather than an orange twist. Note: Collins originally used a grapefruit peel or wedge, his signature Martini garnish, so you could also choose that instead. And some people still prefer the orange peel, too! I guess you can’t really go wrong, whatever you choose here.

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White Negroni Variations

We did a whole Negroni week back in September, resulting in some really delicious recipes! I highly recommend you check them out, but here are a few of my personal favorite riffs on both the white & standard Negroni:

• Negroni Bianco: Along the same line as the White Negroni variation (but different!), this one combines equal parts gin, Luxardo bitter bianco liqueur, and Strucci Bianco vermouth (also sometimes referred to as blanc vermouth)– the result is a pretty colorless drink with hints of honeysuckle and balanced, bittersweet flavors with a touch of extra brightness.
• Chocolate Strawberry Negroni: This one is a super special creation of Rob’s and Chris’! Combine 1 ounce each of rosemary-infused gin, cacao-infused sweet vermouth, and strawberry-infused Campari, and garnish with an expressed orange twist.
• White Mezcal Negroni: Replace the gin with smoky mezcal, which plays off the bitterness of the other ingredients and brings a really complex flavor.  Y’all know I love mezcal, so this is definitely one of my preferred versions.

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Our Variation

While we think this popular cocktail is already great as it is, why not play with it? That’s kind of our job, after all. Here’s what Rob and Chris came up with:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ounce Mezcal
• 0.5 ounce Suze
• 0.5 ounce Amaro Blanco
• 0.5 ounce Lillet Blanc

DIRECTIONS:

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into rocks glass with one large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon peel.

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A New Take on an Old Favorite

The White Negroni is a versatile cocktail that offers a refreshing change from the classic option. While still offering the bitter flavor that the Negroni is known for, this version’s lighter, more nuanced flavor profile makes it a more approachable cocktail, suitable for year-round enjoyment; I, for one, will definitely whip up a batch for my family over the holidays.

What about you? Do you love this one, too? Let me know in the comments what you think of this exciting drink and if you have a variation to share!