Negroni Bianco
Negroni Bianco Recipe
I’ve never met a negroni I haven’t loved. And a negroni bianco is no exception. In fact, this simple three ingredient cocktail may be my negroni drink of choice, especially when made with mezcal (although this smoked negroni sour is close second favorite).
So, what is a negroni bianco + what makes it different?
A negroni bianco is quite simply, as the name implies, a white negroni. Unlike the signature deep rosy red shade of a traditional negroni, the bianco negroni is practically clear. But don’t let that fool you. This is one strong drink!
Just like a traditional negroni, the bianco version is an apéritif made with gin. However, the red vermouth rosso found in the OG version is swapped for a white carpano bianco and in place of campari, luxardo bitter bianco is used instead. The result is a cocktail that packs a herbaceous punch, whereas the traditional negroni is a bit more citrusy and bitter in flavor.
Negroni Bianco Ingredients
Each of the three ingredients is an apertif, alcoholic in their own right. So you can imagine why, when combined, they create such a strong, but incredibly delicious, drink. Here’s the official line-up-
Gin- a distilled juniper flavored alcohol; the juniper flavor is especially perfect for herbiness of this drink, however, for a smoky twist, I also absolutely love making this with mezcal.
Luxardo Bitter Bianco- very similar to campari, but a little lighter, a little sweeter, a little less bitter and just a tad more complex; zesty notes of orange and lemon, rooty licorice bitterness, rosemary-led herbal nodes and a tad of peppery spice.
Carpano Bianco- Unlike the bitter bianco, carpano is a bit moodier with notes that are richer and darker with things like cacao, cinnamon, mace, licorice, figs, almond and orange zest. It’s bold but well-balanced, a little sweet and definitely unique. And I think with it’s flavor profile that it’s especially perfect for cocktails during this fall/winter time of year.
Garnishes- Garnishes are optional but can range from a citrus peel to a slice of citrus to a sprig of fresh rosemary to dehydrated orange slices to some luxardo maraschino cherries.
HOW TO MAKE A NEGRONI BIANCO
When I tell you this is so easy to make that you could do it in your sleep, I’m not kidding. It’s literally equal parts of each of the three aperitifs, stirred, never shaken, poured over ice in a rocks glass and finished with your choice of garnish.
NEGRONI BIANCO
YIELDS 1 COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce gin (or for a smokier flavor use mezcal)
1 ounce Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1 ounce Carpano Bianco (or another dry bianco vermouth)
Garnishes: citrus peel, slice of citrus, a sprig of fresh rosemary, dehydrated orange slices, luxardo maraschino cherries
DIRECTIONS
Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass.
Finish off with the garnish(s) of your choice.
