Suze - Saveur D'autrefois Aperitif 700ml
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Created in 1889 by Fernand Moureaux and Henri Porte, this foundational French aperitif diverged from the prevailing wine-based vermouth traditions of its era by building its framework directly around the assertive root of wild yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea). Produced today in Thuir, the production process combines raw maceration and gentle distillation of mountain-harvested gentian with citrus peels and aromatic plant extracts. Unlike Italian red bitters that emphasize gentian as an accent alongside heavy rhubarb and cochineal-style sweetness, Suze places the earthy, rhizomatous astringency of the root front and center, balanced by subtle stone-fruit sugars.
Palate weight enters with moderate viscous sweetness before a surge of herbaceous, earthy bitterness, citrus oils, and cracked dandelion root strips the tongue clean. In-house testing at USQ showed that this sharp botanical contrast makes it an essential modifying anchor for lighter, spirit-forward cocktail builds. Our team recommends stirring a White Negroni with 1.5 oz dry gin, 1 oz Lillet Blanc, and 0.75 oz Suze over ice, straining into a rocks glass with a grapefruit peel to emphasize the gentian's crisp edge. For an effortless low-proof highball favored across Parisian bistros, build 1.5 oz Suze over cubed ice with 4 oz dry tonic water and a lemon twist alongside salted nuts and fresh goat cheeses.
Country
FranceRegion
RoussillonSub Region
ThuirABV
20%Production
Neutral grain spirit, neutral sugar beet distillate, wild yellow gentian root (Gentiana lutea), botanical extracts. Maceration of wild and cultivated fresh yellow gentian roots in neutral alcohol, fol
Distillation Process
Traditional copper pot still
Negroni, Suze & Tonic with a lemon wheel, salted Marcona almonds, or radishes with butter and sea salt
