Bijou Cocktail

 

Contents:

• How-to Video
• History of the Cocktail
• Ingredient Breakdown
• Variations
• Our Variation
• Bijou Recipe

Hey there! I’m really excited today because I finally get to share with you one of my top 3 cocktails, which includes Chris’ and my favorite spirit: green Chartreuse.

The Bijou, named after the French word for “jewel,” is amazingly complex while being pretty darn simple. This classic drink combines gin, sweet vermouth, and Chartreuse with just a dash of orange bitters– super straightforward, super delicious.

I’ve won over many a friend by introducing them to this full-flavored cocktail, so I hope to win you over, too.

 

 

How to Make the Bijou

To see how Chris does it, check out the video below for tips on how to blend these distinct flavors– and how to create a unique variation that plays off the idea of the Bijou while being its own thing.

 

History of the Bijou Cocktail

Originating in the late 19th century, the Bijou was created by Harry Johnson, one of the pioneering bartenders of the era, known for his cocktail book, Harry Johnson’s 1882 New & Improved Bartender’s Manual– and for being the infamous rival of perhaps the most influential bartender of the time (or perhaps ever), Jerry Thomas.

The cocktail’s name reflects the three jewels supposedly represented in its ingredients: gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby, and Chartreuse for emerald, each bringing its own characteristics to create a balanced drink with a lot of flavor and depth.

Over time, this vintage cocktail sadly faded into obscurity, overshadowed by more modern recipes– but, luckily for me (and for you), it has experienced a resurgence lately as cocktail enthusiasts seek the complexity that fell to the wayside during the 80s and 90s. Thank goodness for the recent cocktail Renaissance we’ve been experiencing!

 

Bijou Ingredients

What makes the Bijou so special? For me, it’s the combination of flavors and hues, resulting in a gem-colored cocktail that is both spirit-forward and a little sweet. It’s in the same category as a Manhattan, although obviously this one is a gin cocktail rather than whiskey-based.

To mix up this classic cocktail, you’ll need a few things, including (as I mentioned before) Chris’ and my favorite ingredient of all time:

• Gin: This serves as the crisp, clean base that plays off the citrus & herbal notes of the other ingredients.
• Sweet vermouth: This adds a touch of sweetness, herbal depth, and color.
• Green Chartreuse: The best ingredient ever, Chartreuse contributes complex herbal flavor.
• A dash Orange Bitters: With just a dash or two, bitters enhances the drink’s citrus notes, adding subtle complexity and playing off the gin.
• Garnish with a maraschino cherry or a lemon twist to boost the visual and aromatics. Some people prefer an orange twist to go with the orange bitters, although for some reason, a lemon peel is more traditional.

 

Bijou Variations

While the original recipe is a beautifully balanced drink– and one of my absolute favorites– experimenting with the ratios or substituting ingredients can tailor the cocktail to your personal taste.

 

• Up the gin: Some prefer a more dominant gin profile, so you may want to increase the recipe to 2 ounces. Or you can experiment with different styles of gin (we’re using Drumshambo Irish gin today).
• Yellow Chartreuse: If you enjoy the slightly sweeter, lighter profile of yellow Chartreuse over the traditional green herbal liqueur, you could exchange them, altering the flavor to be slightly milder and sweeter. Of course, you lose some herbal complexity with that change, but some prefer it.
• Alaska: And then if you take it one step further and skip the vermouth, combining equal parts gin and yellow Chartreuse, you’ll have yourself an Alaska cocktail.
• Add maraschino liqueur: Replace the sweet vermouth with this liqueur, or split the two evenly.
• Negroni: Although the Bijou is not traditionally an equal parts cocktail, it’s a riff on the famous Negroni, which is equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari (a bitter aperitif, which the Chartreuse replaces).

 

Our Variation

Chris and Rob have created a modern version of the Bijou that plays off the original cocktail– and it’s also a delicious drink in its own right (of course). I love this variation because it’s like a Bijou married a Margarita; it offers just the right amount of smokiness with a herbaceous quality that arrives a little late. It’s really fun!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 ounces Raicilla
• 3/4 ounce Dry Vermouth
• 3/4 ounce Green Chartreuse
• 2 dash Jalapeño Tincture (homemade, as detailed in our Bitters & Tincture course)
• 1 dash Celery Bitters

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with add ice, and give a good stir until properly mixed and chilled, a little longer for this one than usual (about 20-25 seconds).
2. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass. 
3. Garnish with an expressed Lime Peel.

 

 

Ready to Make Your New Favorite Cocktail?

This pre-Prohibition cocktail is a gem among drinks, and its revival isn’t really a surprise given the new-age appreciation for classic craft cocktails. In my opinion, it’s just one of the absolute bests!

Hopefully the Bijou serves you well this holiday season and into the new year. to Let me know in the comments what you think, and until next time– Cheers!