Name: White Negroni
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1½ oz / 45 ml plymouth gin; ¾ oz / 22.5 ml suze; ¾ oz / 22.5 ml lillet blanc

Ingredients

1½ ozplymouth gin
45 ml
¾ ozsuze
22.5 ml
¾ ozlillet blanc
22.5 ml

Instructions

Combine Plymouth Gin, Suze, and Lillet Blanc in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir gently for about 20 seconds — you want dilution without over-chilling, since the botanicals in Suze and Lillet open up at a slightly warmer temperature than a standard Negroni. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Express a grapefruit peel over the surface, twist it to release the oils, and rest it on the rim. The White Negroni trades the ruby bitterness of Campari for the earthy gentian bite of Suze — lighter in color but no less complex.

Sips & Tips

Technique

Stir for only 20 seconds — shorter than a classic Negroni. Suze and Lillet are lower-proof than Campari and sweet vermouth, so they dilute faster and lose their aromatic edge if over-stirred. A large ice cube in the serving glass keeps the drink cold without washing out the delicate gentian bitterness.

Balance

The 2:1:1 ratio gives gin the lead while Suze provides the bitter backbone and Lillet adds a honeyed, quinine-laced sweetness. Plymouth Gin works best here — its softer juniper and earthy root notes complement Suze without competing. If you find it too bitter, nudge the Lillet up to 1 oz, but resist the urge to add simple syrup.

History

The White Negroni was created by Wayne Collins in Bordeaux around 2001, born from the practical constraint of using only French ingredients. Suze — a gentian-root liqueur dating to 1889 — replaced Campari, and Lillet Blanc stood in for sweet vermouth. The drink became a modern classic almost overnight, proving that the Negroni template is endlessly adaptable.

The White Negroni is proof that bitterness doesn't need to be red. It's elegant, herbaceous, and dangerously easy to drink on a warm evening. Cheers.

Variations

Smoky White Negroni

Replace the Plymouth Gin with 1 oz gin and ½ oz mezcal. The smoke from the mezcal adds a savory depth that plays beautifully against the gentian bitterness of Suze. Garnish with a grapefruit peel that's been briefly torched.

White Negroni Sbagliato

Replace the gin with 1½ oz dry prosecco, added last and unstirred. Build Suze and Lillet over ice, then top with prosecco. It's lighter, more effervescent, and perfect as a pre-dinner aperitivo.