Elements: Gentian Liqueurs – Imbibe Magazine

The Alpine flower gentian is an essential part of cocktail culture. Its earthy bitterness contributes to the character of products including Campari, Aperol, and Angostura bitters, along with a range of liqueurs that put the plant’s flavor front and center. Believed to have originated in Bavaria in the 1600s, gentian liqueurs gained popularity in France two centuries later, when Salers released a bittersweet aperitif made from Alpine gentian root stalks macerated in alcohol. Gentian liqueur remains popular in France, where its earthy, herbaceous essence is enjoyed over ice with fresh lemon. It’s also prized among bartenders, who turn to brands like Salers, Suze, and Avèze (along with gentian-accented liqueurs like Luxardo Bitter Bianco) to add a nuanced touch of dusty funk to their creations.

Gentian is rarely the starting point for a drink, but there are exceptions. At Kiesling in Detroit, bartender Kira Ellington hatched the name of her Suze Greenburg cocktail first as a reference to a Phish song. Her reverse-engineering produced a gently savory drink where gentian bridges the gap between the vegetal notes of carrot and mezcal and the sweet essence of amaro and honey. This ability to center a drink may be gentian’s ultimate superpower. “Gentian is fairly versatile,” explains Jeremy Ross, Kiesling’s general manager. “It makes a killer White Negroni, it can be an asset in any Martini build, and it sings in a highball. In our case, it pulls together our drink perfectly.”

Gentian’s bittersweet essence can nudge more classic cocktail builds in new directions without sacrificing familiarity. When bartender Sean Skvarka and his former colleague Matt Ross were experimenting with a play on a Black Manhattan for the Austin bar Whisler’s, they incorporated Suze to subtly change the drink’s tone, resulting in the Southern Gentleman. “We weren’t looking to reinvent the wheel,” says Skvarka, who also manages Whisler’s upstairs mezcal tasting room Mezcalería Tobalá. “We just wanted to give it a different spin.” Gentian’s presence cajoles additional spice from the rye and extra sweetness from the amaro, creating a brighter, patio-ready take on a spirit-forward classic.

Gentian’s understated flavors shine best in simple drinks with minimal ingredients. “Gentian’s distinctive bitterness and floral funk can get lost or clash in highly complex builds,” explains Jim O’Shea, co-owner of Rosemary & Beauty Queen in Nashville. “A three- or four-ingredient drink lets it breathe.” The bar’s Remake/Remodel cocktail showcases this effective minimalism. Bartender Alise Alicardi uses gentian to add length and dryness to a vodka-based cocktail featuring equal parts Italian aperitif and fresh lemon juice, creating a warm-weather mix that intrigues as it refreshes.