A gem of a cocktail: the Bijou is a fragrant and sweet drink named after three jewels represented by the main ingredients: gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby, and chartreuse for emerald.
The Bijou was created by Harry Johnson, known as the father of professional bartending. It is one of the oldest cocktails in his Bartender’s Manual, dating back to the 1890s. It gained popularity alongside the Manhattan and the Martini, but post-prohibition it just kind of…drops away?
In the 1980s Dale DeGroff (Rainbow Room, NYC) stumbles across the recipe and revives it, altering the ratios from the original recipe, using triple the amount of gin compared to vermouth and chartreuse. This eventually became the industry standard.
While it’s still not uncommon to see equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and green chartreuse, everyone seems to have their own preference on ratios of ingredients for the Bijou. It is also how Harry Johnson writes the recipe in the Bartender’s Manual. You may find the green chartreuse to be far too dominant with equal amounts, as I do. I prefer to drop it back to 15 millilitres to give that gentle, herbaceous hum. The original recipe also calls for Plymouth Gin, but I prefer London Dry.
For me, the Bijou ticks all the boxes as a spirit-forward, sweet sipping cocktail perfect for the cooler weather. If you’re a fan of the Manhattan or Boulevardier, you’ll enjoy this.
Watch the video here. If you make this one, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and TikTok, I love to see it!
Bijou
Ingredients
- 30 mL gin
- 15 mL green chartreuse
- 22.5 mL sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
- Lemon peel
Instructions
- Add gin, green chartreuse, vermouth and bitters to a mixing glass.
- Add ice and stir to chill.
- Place cherry in the base of a chilled cocktail glass (I like a Nick and Nora). Strain drink over the top. Express lemon zest and discard before serving.
Looking for more cocktail recipes? Try a Gin Basil Smash or the Hunter cocktail.
Leave a comment