What can I use instead of Luxardo Bitters Bianco? We found the best substitutes for Luxardo Bitter Bianco to be Racine de Suze, Salers Gentian Aperitif, Avèze, Bittermens Amer Sauvage, Tempus Gran Classico, and a non-alcoholic Lyres Italian Spritz.
Suppose you’re looking at adding to your bar trolly and adding some different items that are close to Luxardo Bitter Bianco. In this case, we have a few substitutes that stay true to the flavors but add their own flare.
From alcoholic to non-alcoholic, enjoy the distilled bittersweet flavors of a herbal liqueur that includes bitter orange, rhubarb, and quinine, along with some spices.
The Best Luxardo Bitter Bianco Substitutes
Racines de Suze
Racines de Suze is an intense substitute to Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
Racines de Suze translated is Roots of Suze. A French liqueur produced in Pyrenees Orientales pays tribute to the original Suze recipe, bought in Switzerland near the Suze River.
Suzes is created from cultivated gentian roots.
Its intensified flavors of gentian bitterness are infused with flavors of orange while reducing the sweetness compared to the original recipe, producing a deep golden liqueur with 36% ABV (72° proof).
The intense bitterness of gentian is subdued slightly by the sweetness of creamed vanilla with a refreshing zest or citrusy orange and a hint of cinnamon wafting in the background.
It’s an acquired taste that leaves you loving it or hating it. Either way, it is a bold ingredient for cocktails, loved by mixologists.
Salers Gentian Aperitif
Another little French aperitif, Salers, is slightly less citrusy than Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
Salers uses wild yellow gentians from Auvergne, found on the slopes of Puy Mary in the Massif Central of France. It uses no artificial colorings, giving the aperitif its natural straw color glow.
Macerated in alcohol for several weeks before the roots are distilled in copper stills. Then married and aged in Limousin oak barrels for a minimum of 3 years to produce a classic French aperitif of 16% ABV (32° proof).
A rustic, earthy profile, less sweet than other aperitifs in its class, offers plenty of bitter, refreshing, and complex notes of vegetal nuances with hints of orange peel mixed with traces of mint and anise.
Makes a delicious Mountain Daisy in a coupe glass accompanied by a tot of Cocchi Americano Bianco and lime juice. Or use it as a mixer with sweetened lemon sodas.
Avèze
Avèze is another ideal substitute for Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
A softer and more mellow gentian aperitif than its two previous French cousins, Suze and Salers.
Avèze is produced in the French town of Riom-es-Montagnes and was conceptualized in 1928 by Emile Refouvelet.
Macerated for 9 months with yellow gentian roots, after which it is rested for a further 6 months with a secret blend of herbs before it is filtered and bottled at 15-18% ABV (30-36° proof).
A similar product, Avèze Roll, is also available with a more pronounced citrus flavor, which is available at a lower ABV of 15% but with added sugar.
Taste notes of ground turmeric and cardamom blended with zesty notes of orange are well complimented with menthol pine and eucalyptus flavors.
The perfect mellow gentian liqueur to create a new take on the Boulevardier cocktail with a twist of orange zest.
Bittermens Amer Sauvage
Bittermens is an American artisanal liqueur that makes a very bitter substitute for Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
Bittermens is an American artisanal spirit company built by couple Avery and Janet Glasser in 2007.
In 2010 they started their first production in Somerville before moving around and finally setting roots in Portland, Oregon, in 2016.
Made from French yellow gentian roots, Bittermens creates an American take on an Italian amaro that is crazy bitter. The added bitter citrus flavors and sugar creates Amer Sauvage at a 23% ABV (46° proof).
Bitter notes of gentian are at the root of the flavor, with inclusions of chamomile floral notes and added bittersweet citrus peel flavors.
Fast becoming a bartender favorite for creating contemporary cocktails. Or just enjoy it with a tall glass filled with ice and topped with club soda to enjoy the simplistic complexity of the bitters.
Tempus Gran Classico
Tempus Gran Classico is a perfect substitute for Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
A classic Italian style amaro recreated from the original recipe of the 1860s. It’s a modern twist on the original Torino Gan Classico made in Switzerland.
A maceration of 25 different aromatic herbs and roots, including wormwood, gentian, rhubarb, hyssop, and bitter orange, creates a golden amber liqueur bottled at 28% ABV (56° proof).
This syrupy, bittersweet, light and spicy elixir provides upfront notes of rhubarb with a herbal complexity followed by a mid-palate of gentian root bitterness.
At the same time, it lingers off on notes of zesty orange peel with a honeyed sweetness and hints of white pepper spice.
Perfect as a replacement for the bitter element in a classic Negroni.
Lyres Italian Spritz
A non-alcoholic version of an Italian Spritz that is an excellent substitute for Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
Lyres, founded in 2019, is a UK-based company that makes the impossible possible by creating a non-alcoholic version of your favorite bitter liqueur.
It has distinct and contemporary flavors that capture the vibrant bitter orange aperitif style liqueur without guilt.
Partnered with the world’s largest and most advanced beverage technology, it has opened production centers in the UK, Australia, Germany, and the USA. Allowing at least 90% of cocktails to be recreated with lyres non-alcoholic flavors for your favorite mocktail.
The bittersweet flavors are upfront with citrusy notes of bitter orange infused with complex notes of astringent rhubarb that provide a refreshingly dry finish.
Add to your favorite cocktail to reduce the alcohol content, or pair it with their non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Create your favorite guilt-free mocktails for your drinking pleasure.
Resources
- https://www.bienmanger.com/1F32799_Suze_Saveurs_Autrefois_Aperitif_Base_Gentiane.html
- https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/suze+racine+de+liqueur+france/1/south+africa#t2
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/6323/racines-de-suze
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suze_(drink)
- https://www.gerrys.uk.com/suze-aperitif-70cl
- https://www.suze.com/en/the-range
- https://lyres.com/range/italian-spritz/
- https://lyres.com/about-us/
- https://lyres.com/corporate
- https://www.amazon.com/Lyres-Italian-Spritz-Non-Alcoholic-Spirit/dp/B08939FM3K?crid=CQFWEZNKS9CE&keywords=lyre%27s+italian+spritz&qid=1671535652&sprefix=lyre%27s+italian+spritz,aps,88&sr=8-5&linkCode=sl1&tag=sipyours06-20&linkId=389d30c3bdd64c67d3a9c01136f2f769&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
- https://alpenz.com/product-salers.html#:~:text=Salers%20is%20the%20oldest%20gentian,a%20beautiful%20natural%20straw%20color.
- https://www.bittersandbottles.com/products/salers-gentiane-aperitif
- https://www.bienmanger.com/2F3897_Salers_Gentian_Liqueur.html
- https://vedrenne.fr/salers/
- https://www.aveze.com/?access=adult
- https://www.aveze.com/en/produits/aveze-roll/
- https://punchdrink.com/recipes/tommy-klus-french-connection/
- https://punchdrink.com/articles/how-to-use-aveze-gentian-liqueur-cocktail-recipe/
- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Av%C3%A8ze_(liqueur)
- https://www.aveze.com/en/produits/aveze-15-2/
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/2298/bittermens-amere-sauvage#:~:text=A%20gentian%20liqueur%20made%20with,of%20bitter%20citrus%20and%20sugar.
- https://www.bittermens.com/bittermens-spirits/citron-sauvage/
- https://www.bonappetit.com/drinks/article/bittermens-amere-sauvage-will-f-k-you-up-like-a-baby-tasting-its-first-lemon
- https://www.amathusdrinks.com/b2c/bittermens-amere-sauvage
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bittermens
- https://www.tempusfugitspirits.com/gran-classico-bitter
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/5033/tempus-fugit-gran-classico-bitter
- https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/47777/tempus-fugit-gran-classico-bitter