This white Negroni cocktail (aka Negroni Bianco) is made with Luxardo Bitter Bianco in place of the usual Campari in a classic Negroni. This drink offers a stylish and interesting deviation from the normal whilst retaining the bitter-sweet notes apparent in the traditional version of this cocktail.
Take another swerve away from tradition and opt for a Negroni sour.
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This white Negroni (aka Negroni Bianco) is a fantastic variation of the classic Italian Negroni cocktail. It is made with Luxardo Bitters Bianco rather than the more typical colourful Italian bitters of Campari or Select.
The result is a drink that is delicate and intriguing. It’s a lot harder to guess what is in this drink because it’s clear rather than a tell-tale red. In fact, this Negroni Bianco glows in understated elegance and needs only the simplest of garnishes to attach itself to. A twist of citrus peel will suffice.
As for the flavour, expect fresh herbal bitter qualities to shine in this white Negroni. You’ll find dashes of floral and citrus notes mingled in too. And, just like a classic Negroni or an Aperol Negroni, it’s still deliciously bittersweet.
Why you’ll love this cocktail
- White Negroni makes a welcome change. A classic Negroni is a work of art, but sometimes a change is as good as a rest.
- Luxardo Bitter Bianco lends a colourless hue to the drink. This makes it perfect for creating a more white-looking drink, especially when compared to the Suze-based version of the Negroni Bianco.
- The ingredients combine to create a deliciously bittersweet cocktail with a great blast of zestiness about it and floral undercurrents.
- It’s as easy to prepare as a classic Negroni cocktail.
- And the ratio of ingredients is in-line with tradition (1-1-1), making it a breeze to remember.
What is a Negroni Bianco?
There is only one classic Negroni cocktail but there are a vast number of versions of the white Negroni.
The history of the Negroni Bianco is brief. Rumour has it that the Negroni Bianco was invented in France in 2001 when a British bartender couldn’t find Campari or sweet vermouth to make a classic Negroni. Thinking on his feet, he used Suze in place of the Campari and Lillet Blanc as a substitute for the sweet vermouth.
Suze is a French gentian liqueur featuring vegetal and citrussy tones. It’s definitely bittersweet, making it perfect for a Negroni. Interestingly, Suze has a bright yellow colour, so quite why the title white Negroni was adopted is anybody’s guess.
As for Lillet Blanc, this is a French wine-based aperitif. It is crisp and light, with subtle floral, herbal and citrus notes and it tastes akin to medium-sweet white vermouth.
The white Negroni has been around for only two decades but already, numerous renditions of this cocktail have come to light. Plenty of versions make Negroni Bianco without Suze, replacing it with alternative gentian liqueurs such as Salers, Aveze, Bittermen’s Amer Sauvage or Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
And using Lillet is also not mandatory when compiling a Negroni Bianco. Instead try dry vermouth, sweet white vermouth, St Germaine (elderflower liqueur) or Cocchi Americano.
I think of the white Negroni as a playground for personal flavour preferences (or for what you happen to have in your home bar). It’s a great opportunity to break the rules, play around and have some fun. That’s exactly what I did when creating this Negroni Bianco recipe.
Why use Luxardo Bitter Bianco in a white Negroni?
Personally, I prefer Luxardo Bitter Bianco to Suze hands-down. Although there’s plenty of gentian flavour in Bitter Bianco, there’s also a divine zesty freshness about this liqueur. It’s decidedly bittersweet and it’s almost colourless.
These characteristics make it my first choice for making a Negroni Bianco. I’m not here to stick with tradition in my quest for a delectable libation.
If you’re particularly curious about Luxardo Bitter Bianco, take a look at my recipe for the white spritz. As I extol the virtues of this spritz I delve a little deeper into this liqueur.
Ingredients notes
Luxardo Bitter Bianco: as discussed above, this makes a great alternative to Suze which is the typical ingredient in a Negroni Bianco.
Gin: the profile of the gin is more evident in this version of a Negroni, so it’s worth investing in a quality gin. I went for Caorunn gin as it offers up subtle floral hints along with a good slick of juniper flavour and citrus notes rounding it off.
Dry Vermouth: I like my cocktails on the drier side, so went with dry vermouth in place of the sweeter Lillet Blanc.
Orange bitters: these are entirely optional, but they do help to accentuate the citrussy notes in this cocktail. Try Bitter Truth or Angustoras orange.
Instructions: the correct way to make a Negroni
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Whether you’re making the classic Campari Negroni, an Aperol Negroni or this white Negroni cocktail, there’s a trick to mixing the perfect Negroni. Follow the technique below to ensure that your Negroni Bianco is mixed to perfection.
- Half-fill a cocktail jug with ice.
- Pour the Luxardo Bitter Bianco, dry vermouth and gin into the jug and splash in 3 drops of orange bitters (optional).
- Stir briskly for 30-40 seconds to chill and dilute the drink.
- Fill a serving glass with plenty of ice and strain the drink into it.
- Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Please do not be tempted to pour the alcohol directly into the serving glass and mix it in there. The act of stirring the ingredients together over ice in the jug serves to dilute the alcohol, not just chill it. This is a vital step in the making of any Negroni cocktail.
Expert tips
- Use a large tumbler so there’s room for plenty of ice and garnishes.
- Chill the serving glass for 15 minutes before mixing the cocktail if possible.
- Ensure you have plenty of ice to hand and use it. A Negroni Bianco should be served ice-cold for ultimate refreshment.
- Don’t forget to garnish your drink. A twist of lemon peel or a wedge of grapefruit plus a sprig or rosemary work wonders.
- Don’t mix a large batch of servings together in a jug. Make a maximum of two at a time in one jug. Making too many in one jug runs the risk that the cocktail will be insufficiently diluted or chilled before it is served.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. To do so, it is best to mix the ingredients together and store it in a bottle until required. This can be done days or even weeks in advance.
When a cocktail is required, proceed to pour a serving into an ice-filled jug, stir and strain into the serving glass.
If made as per the recipe card included at the bottom of this post this white Negroni with Luxardo Bitter Bianco is approximately 25% ABV (alcohol by volume).
If you opt to use a different liqueur in place of the Luxardo Bitter Bianco or substitute the dry vermouth for something else, your cocktail will have a different ABV level. If you are interested in knowing the alcohol content of your variation, you will need to calculate it.
No, you do not. Tequila and mezcal are great alternatives.
Gosh, there are so many options. Really, a bowl of juicy green olives works a treat, but if you fancy getting creative try some pastry olives or some fig and blue cheese crostini.
More Bittersweet cocktails to try
There’s more to Italian bitter liqueurs than just the classic Negroni or the white Negroni. Here are a few more ideas to wrap your lips around.
Have you made this Luxardo Bitter Bianco white Negroni cocktail? If you have please give it a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
White Negroni (Negroni Bianco)
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail jug or a large kitchen jug
- 1 Tumbler
Ingredients
- 30 ml Gin
- 30 ml Luxardo Bitter Bianco liqueur
- 30 ml Dry Vermouth
Optional Extras
- Orange bitters – 3 dashes
- Lemon or grapefruit zest for garnish
- Fresh rosemary for garnish
Instructions
- Half-fill a cocktail jug with ice.
- Pour the Luxardo Bitter Bianco, dry vermouth and gin into the jug and splash in 3 drops of orange bitters (optional).
- Stir briskly for 30-40 seconds to chill and dilute the drink.
- Fill a serving glass with plenty of ice and strain the drink into it.
- Cut a large strip of zest from a lemon or grapefruit and twist it over the glass to release the citrus oils. Drop it into the glass.
- Put the rosemary sprig in the palm on your hand and clap the other hand down firmly on top to release the aroma. Add it to the glass.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Please do not be tempted to pour the alcohol directly into the serving glass and mix it in there. The act of stirring the ingredients together over ice in the jug serves to dilute the alcohol, not just chill it. This is a vital step in the making of any Negroni cocktail.
- Use a large tumbler so there’s room for plenty of ice and garnishes.
- Chill the serving glass for 15 minutes before mixing the cocktail if possible.
- Ensure you have plenty of ice to hand and use it. A white Negroni should be served ice-cold for ultimate refreshment.
- Don’t forget to garnish your drink. A twist of lemon peel or a wedge of grapefruit plus a sprig or rosemary work wonders.
- Don’t mix a large batch of servings together in a jug. Make a maximum of two at a time in one jug. Making too many in one jug runs the risk that the cocktail will be insufficiently diluted or chilled before it is served.
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