The Soul of T he WhiTe NegroNi

By Michael Tulipan

Suze Plays a Starring Role in The FrenchInspired Modern Riff on The Iconic Classic

ICONIC FRENCH BRAND Suze has only been in the United States for a little over ten years, but it continues to make its mark as a versatile tool in the bartender’s arsenal. This historic brand started over a century ago, though more recently, it has become best known for its starring role in the modern classic cocktail, the White Negroni.

The brand’s story commences in 1885 in Maisons-Alfort, France, when its founder Fernand Moureaux inherited a family distillery, then on the brink of bankruptcy. Teaming up with his bank manager’s son, Henri Porte, Moureaux set out to create a new kind of aperitif. But instead of using wine for the base, as was the day’s fashion, he decided to use gentian, a wild root reputed to have a wide range of medicinal uses. After finding local success, the team decided to take their creation to the famed 1889 World’s Fair, best known for the debut of the Eiffel Tower. The city was decked out in the finest orange, and Suze officially had its coming out moment as a brand.

The long, meticulous process of creating a bottle of Suze takes, on average, thirty-three years! Both sustainably farmed and 100% wild gentian is used in its creation. The roots begin with seeds planted in the mountains of France’s Massif Central. After roughly thirty years, the roots are ready to be cultivated. After being cleaned and cut, a twoyear maceration process takes place. Distillation follows with the addition of an aromatic bouquet at the end.

Over time, the brand has achieved iconic status. “You could say that Suze is to France what Campari is to Italy,” says Jean-François Bonneté, co- founder and President-CEO of BCI. “You cannot go to a bar or restaurant in France and not see a bottle of Suze. Every family will also have a bottle at home.”

The spirit only arrived in the United States in 2012, but it quickly became a bartender favorite. Often paired with mezcal and tequila, it has also become a favorite with Champagne in a Spritz. Suze has become widely known as a key ingredient of the White Negroni.

Created by then Director of Plymouth Gin Nick Blacknell and London bartender Wayne Collins in 2001, the White Negroni resulted from a trip to France for Vinexpo, relentless summer heat, and the pair’s hankering for a cold Negroni. When Blacknell and Collins found a liquor shop, they decided on the spot to alter the recipe to create a Negroni with only French ingredients. Suze subbed for the Campari, and Lillet Blanc subbed for the sweet vermouth, with Plymouth Gin being the only constant. The drink proved a hit and helped bring Suze to prominence in the U.K. A decade later, Americans could finally enjoy the drink.

“The White Negroni has now become a classic modern cocktail and certainly the most famous variation of the classic Negroni in the United States,” says Bonneté. “Suze is the central ingredient, the soul, of a White Negroni.” For a further twist, Bonneté recommends switching the gin with mezcal.

Today, Suze continues to prove its versatility with various spirits and expand its presence in bars around the country. Thankfully the days of bringing back bottles of Suze in your suitcase are long over.