We are a little behind schedule for Negroni Week, but this winterized White Negroni riff is delicious any time of the year. It comes from a bar in New York called Dante that actually features an entire section of their menu they call The Negroni Sessions. Once voted the world’s best bar, their Alpine Negroni definitely helps reinforce that reputation.

The original Negroni is often considered a perfect cocktail with its equal mix of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari—though it can be a bit surprising to anyone relatively new to craft cocktails. And while seasoned mixologists might sigh, shrug, or roll their eyes about it, not everyone has acquired the taste for bitter ingredients. Though not present in this cocktail, it is the Camprari that challenges the unaccustomed palate, but we contend that with experience and repetition, any cocktail enthusiast with retained interest will eventually come around. It’s why The Negroni Sessions menu at Dante exists.

And yet, it’s not really just the classic Negroni recipe that matters. It’s the formula that has become a platform for so many sophisticated variations—some bitter and others more approachable. Bars like Dante or annual September benefit weeks celebrate this cocktail alongside all of the adaptations. The proportions are flexible, allowing you to emphasize the spirit or highlight (or suppress) a swapped modifier. With the modern proliferation and availability of quality ingredients, from bespoke base spirits and varied vermouth to abundant amaro (Italian or otherwise), a splash of liqueur or a dash of bitters leaves practically no end to the creative combinations.

Alpine Negroni from Dante, NYC
1.5 oz gin
.75 oz Suze gentian liqueur
.75 oz Cocchi Americano
.5 oz Génépy
1 barspoon white crème de menthe
3 dashes citrus bitters (McMann & Tate)

Stir with ice to chill, then strain into a rocks glass over an ice sphere. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

You might not think Negroni the first time you look at this drink, but the core elements are there. Gin for the base spirit is classic, though there are variations that sub other categories (tequila, rum, rye). Here, we recommend a London Dry with some strong juniper notes. Campari and sweet vermouth are swapped for Suze and Cocchi Americano, respectively. If we stopped there, we would have the White Negroni, or something very close to it. Cocchi is effectively Lillet Blanc in its original “Kina Lillet” form, and Suze is a gentian-based stand-in for the Campari. What makes this alpine are the additions.

Dolin Génépy des Alpes (or Génépy le Chamois Liqueur as it has become known), is an historic herbal liqueur that we have featured occasionally over the years in drinks like Le Coco and the First Word. This liqueur is a goto replacement for Chartreuse which has been hard to come by recently. But of course, it’s not the same flavor as Chartreuse, though it does share many herbal characteristics. Most importantly, it comes from France and is considered the quintessential Alpine liqueur.

In this drink, Génépy is given an herbal boost by a spoonful of crème de menthe. This touch of sweet peppermint with that familiar cooling effect is inspired, taking an otherwise rooty earthen flavor into the snowcapped mountain tops! This is just the place for your gin to poke through with some piney juniper. Before we get lost in the higher elevations of our poetic conceit, three healthy dashes of citrus bitters brings everything into balance. In our case, McMann & Tate shared their Citrus Grove bitters for us to try and the zesty zing of sunny citrus is just what this cocktail needs.

If you are making the worthwhile effort, don’t leave this drink unadorned. A simple rosemary sprig takes it over the top. The thin, needle-like evergreen leaves are reminiscent of pine boughs and the incredible aromatics meld beautifully with everything else in the glass. A few slaps in your hand and a graceful swipe around the rim will release the scent and have you wondering why we don’t have more cocktails with rosemary.

Some recipes for this drink include a dash of saline solution. Salt in this, or any cocktail for that matter, may not be enough to make it taste salty but will help bring out all of the flavors. It also reduces your perception of bitterness. We like the gentian bitterness of Suze, but we’ll add some salt next time to experience the difference. Mix a half-tablespoon of kosher salt with an ounce of water and you will have a strong salt solution to dose into this and other drinks as needed.

So, there you have it. The Alpine Negroni is a complex addition to a growing assortment of favorite Negroni recipes and one we hope to make a lot from now on. Give this a try and let us know what you think!