Alpine Negroni
A crystal-clear, herb-bitter Negroni variation with Suze, Cocchi Americano and génépy, scented with high-altitude air and mountain herbs.
Ingredients
- Gin, a London Dry is preferred for crispness and backbone30 ml
- Suze, gentian bitter22.5 ml
- Génépy, alpine herbal liqueur17.5 ml
- Cocchi Americano22.5 ml
- White crème de menthe, a touch of mint (optional)5 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed10 ml
- Saline solution (20%)5 drops
- Lemon bitters3 dashes
- Orange, for garnish (optional)1 twist
- Rosemary, for garnish (optional)1 sprig
Method
- Chill a double rocks glass with ice water while you prepare the drink.
- Add the gin, Suze, génépy, white crème de menthe, Cocchi Americano, lime juice and lemon bitters to a mixing glass.
- Fill the mixing glass generously with fresh ice.
- Stir briskly for 20–30 seconds, until the mixture is ice-cold and lightly diluted.
- Strain the drink into the glass over one large, fresh ice cube.
- Express a piece of orange peel over the drink, drop in the peel, and add a sprig of rosemary if you like.
About this drink
The Alpine Negroni was created as an homage to the classic Negroni, but with its gaze fixed on the Alps rather than the Mediterranean. In place of Campari's sweet bitterness and sweet vermouth's weight, it uses the gentian bitter Suze and herbaceous génépy, traditionally distilled from alpine herbs in the French and Italian mountains. The result is a drier, more botanical cocktail that retains the Negroni's stirred structure, but with a lighter, almost cool menthol edge.
Questions and answers
Can you make an Alpine Negroni without génépy?
Génépy is the alpine herbal note that gives the drink its name, so without it you lose the whole point. A dry, herbal vermouth such as Dolin Blanc is the best stand-in, though it has less of that crisp mountain edge.
Why is an Alpine Negroni stirred rather than shaken?
Every ingredient is a clear spirit or vermouth, with no juice, so stirring creates the right silky dilution without whipping in air. Shake it and the drink turns cloudy and becomes too cold too quickly.
What makes an Alpine Negroni different from a classic Negroni?
Suze, génépy and Cocchi Americano replace Campari and sweet vermouth with bitter alpine herbs and a touch of mint, making it drier and more herbaceous than its sweet, orange-bitter cousin. It tastes more like mountain air than an Italian sunset.
