White Negroni Sour
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 18.8% ABV ∙
A shaken sour riff on the White Negroni, this drink adds lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white to navy-strength gin, Blanc Quinquina, and a gentian liqueur. A plush, cloud-like foam gives way to a bittersweet, herbal core, with bracing citrus cutting through the high-proof warmth on a long, dry finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Navy strength gin 40 mlBlanc Quinquina 45 mlGentian liqueur 10 mlLemon juice 20 mlSugar syrup 10 mlEgg white 15 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Express the lemon twist directly over the foam — the oils sit on top and perfume every sip.
- Shake hard and long, about 12-15 seconds, so the egg white builds a stable, silky foam.
- Chill the glass before straining so the drink stays cold once the ice-filled serve starts to dilute it.
History
The White Negroni Sour is a modern twist that reworks the White Negroni into a sour format, adding citrus and egg white to a drink that itself emerged as a pale variation on the Negroni, swapping Campari and sweet vermouth for gentian liqueur and blanc quinquina or vermouth to keep the bitter, herbal backbone while lightening the color and flavor profile.
The Negroni itself is widely traced to Florence, Italy, in the early 20th century, when Count Camillo Negroni is said to have asked a bartender at Caffè Casoni to strengthen his Americano by replacing the soda water with gin, creating the equal-parts gin, vermouth, and Campari drink that bears his name; the exact year and some details of that story are debated among historians.
FAQ
What is a White Negroni cocktail?
A White Negroni is a bittersweet gin cocktail built from navy strength gin, Blanc Quinquina, and a gentian liqueur, and this version is shaken into a sour with lemon juice and egg white for a frothy, citrusy finish.
What is the difference between a Negroni and a White Negroni?
A Negroni is equal parts gin, a red bitter such as Campari, and sweet vermouth, giving it a deep red color and bold bitter-orange flavor. A White Negroni replaces the Campari with a gentian liqueur and the sweet vermouth with Blanc Quinquina, producing a pale, drier, more floral drink with the same gin backbone.
What's the difference between a Negroni and a Negroni Sour?
A Negroni is stirred and served short over ice with no citrus, while a Negroni Sour adds lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white and is shaken to a silky, foam-topped drink. This White Negroni Sour applies that same sour treatment to the White Negroni's gin, Blanc Quinquina, and gentian liqueur base rather than to Campari and sweet vermouth.
How do you make a White Negroni Sour?
Shake navy-strength gin, Blanc Quinquina, a gentian liqueur, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white hard with ice, then strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Finish by expressing a lemon twist over the top and dropping it in as garnish.
What is a substitute for Suze in a White Negroni?
Suze is one example of a gentian liqueur; other gentian liqueurs such as Salers or Bonal can be used in its place, as this recipe's ingredient list allows. Each brings the same bittersweet, root-forward character, though the exact bitterness and sweetness level will shift slightly depending on the bottle.
