The Italians have a long tradition of not only making vermouths and liqueurs but cocktails too, especially the Negroni. But have you ever heard of the White Negroni?
I am sure by now you have enjoyed the massively popular classic Negroni cocktail that was created in the 1860s in Milan where a request for traditional soda water was traded for gin by Count Camillo Negroni. And since then, many variations have been tried and succeeded in the coming years, especially that of the White Negroni. Unlike saloons with swing-door and sawdust emporia, we take you to a more modern saloon in Bordeaux, where this bianco liquid was created by bartender Wayne Collins in a cocktail competition for Plymouth Gin in 2001.
However, before we demystify the weird and wonderful recipe of this macho drink, we need to dismiss the far more recent attempt to explain the origin of the term, which is a pathetically obvious furphy. The White Negroni is simply three ingredients: Suze, a French bitters whose primary flavour is gentian root and alpine flowers – has replaced the Campari, Lillet Blanc has replaced the vermouth component, and Plymouth for the gin – its secret ingredient; a gin without any bitter botanicals.
This spring cocktail works so very well, with that same sweet & dry tandem and complexity of flavour that latches onto the tongue and sits for hours. You can now try this at Tattersalls for a limited time only. Please contact the team at dine@tattersallsclub.org to make a reservation in Member’Bar and enjoy this month’s special.
