The Negroni is one of the world’s most beloved cocktails, thanks to its simple construction and complex, bitter flavor profile. It’s not only a classic cocktail, but it’s also a template for several variations, as it uses three equal parts that can easily be swapped in and out to create new drinks. Some of the most common Negroni variations include ways of lengthening the drink by adding lower-ABV ingredients like Prosecco or soda water or creating variations like the Negroni Sbagliato and the Americano, which keeps the flavors of the original but lowers the alcohol level to something more suitable for casual sipping.
Another common way to vary a Negroni is by swapping out the main spirit. Instead of gin, which is botanical and herbal, you can swap in rich and smoky mezcal for an Oaxacan Negroni or add in spicy rye whiskey to create an Old Pal.
However, there’s also another approach to making Negroni variations, which is to keep it as a short, spirit-forward drink using gin but to swap in different ingredients in place of the sweet vermouth and Campari. That’s how you end up with variations like the Black Negroni, which is dark and moody. It’s also how you create another variation that’s lighter and more delicate but still with a strong bitter heft, which is called the White Negroni, and it’s a must-try for any Negroni fan.
What you need to make a White Negroni
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces of London dry gin
- 1 ounce of Lillet Blanc
- 1/2 ounce of Suze
Method:
1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the London dry gin, Lillet Blanc, and Suze.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
5. Garnish with a lemon peel.
What is the difference between classic and White Negroni?
The classic Negroni is an Italian apéritif made with equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari. It’s believed that it was created in 1919 in Florence, Italy at a restaurant called Caffè Casoni for a patron named Count Camillo Negroni who wanted an Americano made with gin instead of sparkling water. Whether that story is true doesn’t change the fact that the Negroni is just as popular today as ever.
Known for its semisweet flavor profile, the traditional Negroni is a very complex, refreshing drink. It’s filled with herbal and botanical flavors thanks to gin as well as sweet flavors from the vermouth, and lightly bitter and fruity flavors from the Campari. It’s a surprisingly well-balanced drink, perfect for any occasion.
While the classic Negroni has its history in the early 1900s, the White Negroni is a fairly contemporary take on the drink. It was created in 2001 by English bartender Wayne Collins at VinExpo, a beverage trade show in Bordeaux, France.
While the original Negroni is made with gin, red vermouth, and Campari, the White Negroni is made without Campari or sweet vermouth. Instead, Collins opted for a bittersweet French liqueur called Suze and Lillet Blanc. The Suze gives it a bittersweet flavor similar to Campari and the Lillet adds the sweet element that sweet vermouth usually brings.
What is a substitute for Suze in White Negroni?
If you can’t get your hands on Suze, you can easily swap it out for Cocchi Americano. This quinine-flavored aperitif wine is known for its flavors of oranges, elderflowers, tropical fruits, and herbs. Like Suze and Campari, it’s a bittersweet liqueur perfect for this take on the Negroni.
Bottom line
If you’re a Negroni fan, it would behoove you to try this take on the classic drink. It’s fresh, refreshing, and gently bittersweet. The odds are this will quickly become your new summer (and all year) go-to cocktail. Also, if you buy Suze (or Cocchi Americano) and Lillet Blanc and you assume you’ll only use them for this cocktail, you’re wrong. Numerous classic and contemporary drinks use these ingredients.
