White Negroni

White Negroni is a cocktail that combines gin, Lillet, and Suze. As the name suggests, it was inspired by the great Negroni, a cocktail made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. This white version is made with equal parts of gin, Suze, and Lillet, though some versions use less Suze.

The ingredients are poured in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice and are then stirred. White Negroni originated in France. The story says that a British bartender Wayne Collins could not find Campari and sweet vermouth, so he opted to use Suze (liqueur) and Lillet (a fortified wine), two classic French aperitifs.

The drink was not an instant success, and it only became popular when it was promoted in the United States. However, it is now one of the classic cocktails and is not merely regarded as a spin on the legendary Negroni. Suze provides the drink with a distinctive bitter note, and Collins suggests grapefruit zest as an ideal garnish for the White Negroni.