Bitter is the new black – figuratively, that is. In the case of Suze, the legendary high-IBU aperitif, bitter is more accurately Mountain Dew-hued.
Made with gentian root, indigenous to the Swiss and French Alps, the French liqueur is earthy, floral and elegantly bittered (though “elegant” may translate to “jarring” for the uninitiated).
First produced in the late 1800s, the funky-looking drink with an unforgettable flavour stood out amongst the more traditional wine-based aperitifs of the time. Suze’s singularities began to fill cups and turn heads in Europe.
It was immortalized in Picasso’s 1912 painting Bottle Of Suze and soon established its own distinct distillery and kick-started an ad campaign across France.
Though Suze has long been a part of aperitif culture in its homeland and surrounding countries, it’s been a unicorn bottle for North Americans thirsty for something different. Negroni-worshippers (bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts) desperately needed it in order to mix the Negroni Bianco (gin, Suze and Lillet blanc) they’d been hearing whispers of.
But Suze is much more than an essential ingredient in one of a million mediocre Negroni riffs. The brave can sip it neat, traditionalists can add a spot of chilled water as they do in France, and cocktail bartenders can rejoice in another bitter liquid to play with.
The Suze wave will hopefully wash over Toronto at some point soon via Corby Pernod Ricard and (fingers crossed) an LCBO listing. Meanwhile, make sure to grab a bottle the next time you travel to greener booze pastures. (Psst, it’s available in Quebec).
