Chartreuse and Cocktails with Chartreuse

[Rafa]

I like the Bijou variant, mentioned earlier in this thread, that calls for dry vermouth rather than sweet and yellow Chartreuse rather than green. It makes for an herbal, lightly sweet Martini variation, or a dryer Alaska.

[Czequershuus]

A Last Word variant tonight, the Slurred Word

1 Oz Jamaican Rum(Smith and Cross)

0.5 Oz Green Chartreuse

0.5 Oz Maraschino

0.5 Oz Lime Juice

1 Oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

A strange variant, certainly, with the rather major addition of pineapple juice, but the skeleton of the original is there. The result is rather candy like, not unbalanced but on the sweet side.

[Plantes Vertes]

First we made a Purgatory by Ted Kilgore of Taste in St Louis.

2 1/2oz rye

3/4oz Bénédictine

3/4oz Green Chartreuse

It's a nice drink, fresh and lively, but maybe not that interesting.

Next we tried a Tipperary using Highland Park 12 based on Savoy Stomp recommendations.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[Yojimbo]

I like the Bijou variant, mentioned earlier in this thread, that calls for dry vermouth rather than sweet and yellow Chartreuse rather than green. It makes for an herbal, lightly sweet Martini variation, or a dryer Alaska.

I tried something like this last night; slightly more Beefeater gin than Carpano Bianco and yellow Chartreuse. Despite a nice, long lemon twist, something was missing. Bitters! A hefty dash of Regan's and of Fee's Orange really helped dry it out and, as SamChevre mentioned, balance the Chartreuse.

I usually don't need a reminder that bitters can really make the difference in a drink's balance, but if I did, this clinched it.

[FrogPrincesse]

I like the Bijou variant, mentioned earlier in this thread, that calls for dry vermouth rather than sweet and yellow Chartreuse rather than green. It makes for an herbal, lightly sweet Martini variation, or a dryer Alaska.

I tried something like this last night; slightly more Beefeater gin than Carpano Bianco and yellow Chartreuse. Despite a nice, long lemon twist, something was missing. Bitters! A hefty dash of Regan's and of Fee's Orange really helped dry it out and, as SamChevre mentioned, balance the Chartreuse.

I usually don't need a reminder that bitters can really make the difference in a drink's balance, but if I did, this clinched it.

Interesting that a white vermouth worked in that variation. With white vermouth being as sweet as red vermouth, and yellow chartreuse being sweeter than the green, the cocktail could have been overly sweet (the Bijou is already quite rich to begin with).

[FrogPrincesse]

Nearly identical to the Cloister from PDT (1.5 oz gin, 0.5 oz yellow Chartreuse, 0.5 oz grapefruit juice, 0.25 oz lemon juice, 0.25 oz simple syrup, grapefruit twist),

 

 

...last night I tried the Echo, Echo (from the Ordinary in Charleston) which switches to green Chartreuse and adds falernum to the mix.

1.5 oz gin (Beefeater), 0.5 oz green chartreuse, 0.5 oz grapefruit (I've also seen a version at 0.25 oz), 0.5 oz lemon, 0.25 oz falernum (homemade).

 

 

 

Beefeater is what they specify; I think I would like it too with a more juniper-forward gin like Junipero or Tanqueray. I went with 0.5 oz grapefruit but a bit less would be ok. The falernum gave it a little zing in the finish which was cool.

[brinza]

I usually don't need a reminder that bitters can really make the difference in a drink's balance, but if I did, this clinched it.

Too true.  For example, the Alaska appears in some cocktail books as calling for orange bitters, but some books omit it.  I think the orange bitters make all the difference in the world in that drink.

[Slimchandi]

I enjoyed this earlier this week, even if my only remaining gin wasn't top quality.

 

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/louis-special.html

 

I could see bumping up to 3/4 or 1oz each improving it vastly.

[FrogPrincesse]

First we made a Purgatory by Ted Kilgore of Taste in St Louis.

 

2 1/2oz rye

3/4oz Bénédictine

3/4oz Green Chartreuse

 

It's a nice drink, fresh and lively, but maybe not that interesting.

 

 

I should have read your notes before trying the Purgatory. It was sweet and aromatic with a kick of citrus at the end, but a little too heavy for my taste and not that memorable except for the name maybe.

 

 

[lesliec]

The Purgatory is very similar to the Louis Special, with rye instead of gin and unequal proportions.  Maybe the Purgatory would be improved by cutting down the rye a tad.  Can't try it; I'm (temporarily) ryeless.

 

I made a Louis Special a couple of nights ago and agree with Slimchandi that bigger is better.  I used a full 30ml of each ingredient and recommend you do not drive or operate heavy machinery - or breathe too close to an open flame - after one of these.  Tasty.

[Plantes Vertes]

I should have read your notes before trying the Purgatory. It was sweet and aromatic with a kick of citrus at the end, but a little too heavy for my taste and not that memorable except for the name maybe.

 

 

 

Is it too Dante of me to wish that the Purgatory sip should be bitter and the back of the swallow ambrosially sweet?

 

ET spell right

Edited April 8, 2014 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[brinza]

I wonder if there is cause to define a sub-class of cocktails that could be described as "Super Aromatics" which might use the Bijou as the base model.  The sheer number of botanicals in a Bijou is staggering: the 130 from the Chartreuse, plus the dozen or two from the vermouth and the gin, and then bitters.  Furthermore, the Bijou has no other additives (juice, syrup, etc.) to adulterate the purely aromatic mix.

 

The base formula could be something like:

• an herbal liqueur, such as Chartreuse (either variety), Benedictine, Strega, or a genepi.
• vermouth, amaro, or quinquina
• a botanical base spirit, such as gin, genever, or aquavit
• bitters

Many of the drinks mentioned in this thread seem to follow this pattern.

[Czequershuus]

Since it was time to finish off a nearly empty bottle of Chartreuse, and then a then time shortly after that to celebrate opening up a new one, I have had these to in the last few days:

 

1.5 Oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)

0.75 Oz Rye WHiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)

0.75 Oz Green Chartreuse

1 ds Angostura Bitters

Stir, strain, up

 

A very nicely balanced(and frighteningly strong) cocktail. I was worried it may be too dry, but it is perfect. This is one I will likely be repeating.

 

And then, as I had acquired a new bottle(at the excellent price of 45 dollars), and since it is really starting to look like spring here, I made this

 

Spring Feeling Cocktail

1 Oz Plymouth Gin (Dry Fly Washington Gin)

0.5 Oz Green Chartreuse

0.5 Oz Lemon Juice

Shake, strain, up

 

I really like the smaller size of this one, it is a shaken drink I can put in my nice small martini glasses. And it lives up to its name, calling up notions of spring. 

[lesliec]

Nice, Czequershuus.  The first one sounds like my kinda drink.  I take it it's your own creation?  Got  a name for it yet?

 

Lairds isn't available here, but my favourite bar has acquired a bottle from a travelling customer.  I might see if they can make me one of these when I'm in there next week.  Thanks.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Since it was time to finish off a nearly empty bottle of Chartreuse, and then a then time shortly after that to celebrate opening up a new one, I have had these to in the last few days:

 

1.5 Oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)

0.75 Oz Rye WHiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)

0.75 Oz Green Chartreuse

1 ds Angostura Bitters

Stir, strain, up

 

A very nicely balanced(and frighteningly strong) cocktail. I was worried it may be too dry, but it is perfect. This is one I will likely be repeating.

 

What would this be like with yellow?  And what's the name of it?

[FrogPrincesse]

Jo- Diamondback cocktail, and Diamondback Lounge with yellow chartreuse.

[Czequershuus]

Oops, forgot to post the name and link. Sorry for that oversight. It is called the One Eyed Jack and it is from the Chemistry of the Cocktail blog (Link)

 

I have no idea it it would work with Yellow, as I have never actually purchased any, but I can imagine it would be a worthwhile experiment. 

 

 

The Spring Feeling is from the Savoy, and I found it via Erik Ellestad's Savoy Stomp.

[FrogPrincesse]

Since it was time to finish off a nearly empty bottle of Chartreuse, and then a then time shortly after that to celebrate opening up a new one, I have had these to in the last few days:

 

1.5 Oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)

0.75 Oz Rye WHiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)

0.75 Oz Green Chartreuse

1 ds Angostura Bitters

Stir, strain, up

 

A very nicely balanced(and frighteningly strong) cocktail. I was worried it may be too dry, but it is perfect. This is one I will likely be repeating.

 

 

 

Oops, forgot to post the name and link. Sorry for that oversight. It is called the One Eyed Jack and it is from the Chemistry of the Cocktail blog (Link)

 

I have no idea it it would work with Yellow, as I have never actually purchased any, but I can imagine it would be a worthwhile experiment. 

 

 

So this One Eyed Jack is identical to the Diamondback cocktail except that the proportions of rye and applejack are reversed, and the Diamondback has no bitters. The Diamondback (1.5 oz rye, 0.75 oz applejack, 0.75 oz green chartreuse) is a modern adaption by Murray Stenson of the Diamondback Lounge cocktail, the yellow chartreuse version, which is also wonderful and extremely potent. I like to make it with calvados.

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

I was looking for things to do with my Japanese whisky, and decided to try Adam's twist on the Bijou from the Drink thread.

 

 

Bijou twist:

 

25ml Yamazaki 12

25ml Green Chartreuse

25ml Martini Dry

2 dashes Mozart Chocolate Bitters

 

 

I used Hibiki 12, Dolin dry, and Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters.

 

Very nice citrine color. I was a little concerned that the Hibiki, which is more subdued than the Yamazaki, might get lost with the other ingredients. But it worked out really well. Like its color, the cocktail is delicate & nuanced, with the flavor of the Hibiki coming through at the end. Will make again.

 

 

 

 

[Hassouni]

These all sound awesome and I'm down to my last couple oz of the green magic after a Champs-Élysées last night:

1.5 Salignac VS

.75 lemon

.5 Chartreuse verte

.5 2:1 SS

2 dashes angostura

Pure elegance as always

[JoNorvelleWalker]

How does one get the bottle open?  (This question has time value.)

[Hassouni]

Unscrew it? Mine is a screw top, nothing special at all

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The top two inches of mine were covered in thick chocolate colored wax.  After trying a few things unsuccessfully I donned safety goggles and went at it with a Kyocera cera planer.  I now have most of the wax off, and only a couple broken nails...but I am no closer to actually getting the cork out.

 

A screw cap sounds like a great invention.

[Hassouni]

Do you have a mega old bottle? Did you buy it recently? If so, it could be really old stock. I've never seen Chartreuse sold with anything except a screw top. If it's really antique, then you've scored big time. Chartreuse is one of if not the only liqueur/spirit that improves with age in the bottle. Pouring Ribbons even has decades old vintages of Chartreuse that they sell by the ounce for a hefty pricetag.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I just bought the bottle but I believe it is said to be aged eight years in wood.  After my last post I used a foil cutter designed for opening a wine bottle and scored the top a bit.  Then I chipped at it with the Kyocera till I exposed the cork and got the bottle open.  After that I brought out the Shop Vac.

 

Now the question remains, how to keep the bits of wax out of the Chartreuse?  I've opened other wax sealed bottles before, but nothing quite like this.