London bartender Wayne Collins created the White Negroni in 2001, on a trip to Bordeaux. The French context matters: he used French ingredients (Suze, Lillet Blanc) in place of the Italian originals (Campari, sweet vermouth). The result is a Negroni with the same architecture but a completely different personality: floral, gentle, vegetal, dry.

Ingredients

  • London Dry gin 45ml
  • Suze 30ml
  • Lillet Blanc 30ml
  • Lemon peel to garnish

Method

  1. Add gin, Suze, and Lillet Blanc to a mixing glass over ice.
  2. Stir 20 to 25 seconds until properly chilled and diluted.
  3. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube. Coupe served up also works.
  4. Express the lemon peel oils over the surface and drop in.

The Suze question

Suze is a French gentian-root liqueur, made from the bitter mountain herb that gives many European amari their backbone. Pale yellow, deeply bitter, with a vegetal-floral undertone. It is the engine of this drink.

If you cannot find Suze: Salers (a similar French gentian liqueur) substitutes well. Avèze is another acceptable swap. Aperol is not a substitute; it is much sweeter and orange-forward.

The Lillet Blanc question

Lillet Blanc is a French aromatised wine from Bordeaux. White wine base, fortified with neutral spirit, infused with fruit liqueurs (mostly citrus). Light, floral, just-off-dry. The bridge between the gin and the Suze.

Store opened Lillet in the fridge. It oxidises faster than vermouth (3 weeks open before it tastes flat).

What it should taste like

Pale gold in colour. Floral on the nose. Bitter-floral on the palate with a long dry finish. Gentian gives a vegetal-mineral character that some drinkers love and some find demanding. The Lillet provides body without sweetness.

Compared to a classic Negroni: less bitter overall, less sweet, more floral, more European-aperitif and less Italian-cocktail.

When to drink it

Before dinner. With light Asian food (sashimi, dim sum, salads). On a hot afternoon. The drink reads as a more grown-up Aperol Spritz, suitable for drinkers who find the Spritz too sweet.

Variations

Rosato White Negroni: replace Lillet Blanc with Lillet Rosé. Pink, slightly more fruit-forward.

Calamansi White Negroni: express calamansi peel instead of lemon. Local twist; the lime-orange-floral character of calamansi pairs beautifully with Suze.

White Boulevardier: replace gin with bourbon. A whiskey-led white Negroni. Bigger body.

Related

Frequently asked questions

What glass is the White Negroni served in?

A chilled rocks glass over a single large ice cube, or up in a coupe. Stirred for 20 to 25 seconds over ice in a mixing glass, then strained. An expressed lemon peel is dropped in. Both glass shapes hold the pale-gold colour and the bitter-floral profile equally well; the rocks glass is more traditional for aperitif drinking, the coupe more elegant.

Can I substitute the Suze in a White Negroni?

Suze is the engine of this drink. Salers (a similar French gentian liqueur) substitutes well; Aveze is another acceptable swap. Aperol is not a substitute; it is much sweeter and orange-forward. Lillet Blanc is the French aromatised wine; Cocchi Americano is the drier alternative. Store opened Lillet in the fridge; it oxidises faster than vermouth (3 weeks open before flat). For gin, London Dry is correct.

How strong is the White Negroni?

Around 24 to 27 percent ABV in the finished drink. The build is 45ml gin (around 40 percent), 30ml Suze (around 20 percent), and 30ml Lillet Blanc (around 17 percent), stirred over ice. The dilution from a 20- to 25-second stir drops it slightly from the spirit number. Drinks lighter than a classic Negroni because Suze is less alcoholic than Campari. Designed for slow aperitif sipping.

Where can I order a White Negroni in PJ or KL?

At Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim, 43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Petaling Jaya. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 15:00 to 01:00. WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607. Also at Soluble Solids in SS2, 50-1 Jalan SS2/24. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 18:00 to 01:00. WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651. Ask about the calamansi peel variant for a local twist.

What food pairs with a White Negroni?

Aperitif. Pairs with light Asian food (sashimi, dim sum, salads, oysters), light French (oeufs en cocotte, gougeres, terrine). Strong with cured fish, caviar, and goat cheese. The gentian-floral profile handles dim sum better than a classic Negroni because the bitterness is less aggressive. Surprisingly good with mild Japanese curry. Skip with very rich or smoky food.