Episode 58: Suze

Description

Episode 58 features Suze, a gentian based aperitif from France. The bottle for the tasting is 750mL at 20% ABV, or 40 proof and sells for about $29.

Enjoy this episode with a Suze & Tonic, or try a White Negroni.

Suze's official website: https://www.suze.com/

Brief Historical Timeline:

1885 - Fernand Moureaux inherits his family distillery and sets out to save it, possibly buying the formula for Suze from Hans Keppeler, an herbalist from the village of Sonvilier in Switzerland
1889 - Suze is launched (but maybe it's first sold as Picotin)
1896 - Henri Porte, partner of Fernand Moureaux, designs the famous Suze bottle
1912 - Pablo Picasso creates the collage named Glass and Bottle of Suze
1933 - Suze sponsors the Tour de France
1945 - The formula is changed, adjusting the proof and adding more sugar
1950s-60s - Suze continues to sponsor the Tour de France
1965 - Pernod purchases the distillery and brand
2012 - Suze is first imported into the United States of America

Key Cocktails:

Suze is great on its own, but works well in the White Negroni, invented in 2001 by Wayne Collins:

White Negroni: