Chartreuse Swizzle
Dive into the vibrant world of the Chartreuse Swizzle, a modern classic cocktail known for its striking green hue and invigorating blend of herbal, sweet, and citrus notes. Originating from the renowned San Francisco bar, Trick Dog, this drink beautifully showcases the unique complexity of Green Chartreuse, balanced perfectly with tropical pineapple and tangy lime juice. Often associated with the tiki category due to its swizzling technique and refreshing profile, it's surprisingly easy to make at home. Served tall over crushed ice, it's the ideal concoction for warm weather gatherings or any time you crave a sophisticated yet fun drink. Learn the simple steps to craft this impressive and delicious cocktail.
Ingredients
- 4.5 cl green chartreuse
- 4.5 cl pineapple juice
- 2 cl lime juice
- 1.5 cl simple syrup
- 2 dashes angostura bitters
- crushed ice
- 1 piece mint leave
Accessories
- 1 highball glass
Instructions
Combine Green Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a highball or collins glass.
Fill the glass about halfway with crushed ice.
Insert a swizzle stick or bar spoon and swizzle vigorously by spinning the stick between your palms, moving it up and down, until the outside of the glass becomes frosted (about 20-30 seconds).
Top the glass with more crushed ice to form a dome.
Add the dashes of Angostura Bitters on top of the ice.
Garnish with a fresh mint sprig. Optionally, grate a small amount of fresh nutmeg over the top.
Trivia
- What is a Chartreuse Swizzle?
A Chartreuse Swizzle is a modern cocktail featuring Green Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice, and often Falernum or simple syrup. It's known for its bright green color, refreshing taste, and preparation using a 'swizzling' technique to chill and mix the ingredients directly in the serving glass, typically a highball or Collins glass filled with crushed ice.
- What does Green Chartreuse taste like?
Green Chartreuse has a distinctively intense and complex flavor profile. It's herbaceous, botanical, and slightly sweet, with notes of mint, anise, citrus peel, and numerous other alpine herbs and spices. Its unique taste comes from a secret recipe known only to two Carthusian Monks, involving 130 different botanicals.
- How do you 'swizzle' a cocktail?
Swizzling is a mixing technique primarily used for tiki-style drinks. You add ingredients and crushed ice to a tall glass, insert a swizzle stick (a multi-pronged stick, often natural wood, or a bar spoon), and rapidly spin the stick between your palms while moving it up and down through the mixture. This chills the drink quickly and creates a desirable frost on the outside of the glass.
- What is the difference between Green and Yellow Chartreuse?
Both Green and Yellow Chartreuse are herbal liqueurs made by Carthusian Monks using secret recipes. Green Chartreuse is higher proof (55% ABV), more intensely herbal, pungent, and complex. Yellow Chartreuse is lower proof (40% ABV), sweeter, milder, and has more prominent notes of honey, saffron, and citrus, making it slightly more approachable.
- What glass is best for a Chartreuse Swizzle?
A Chartreuse Swizzle is typically served in a tall glass that accommodates plenty of crushed ice and allows for the swizzling motion. A Highball glass (ID: 67e7abb7d4f6959587efbd83) or a Collins glass (ID: 67e7ac61d4f6959587efbf4e) are the standard choices, showcasing the drink's vibrant color and frosty exterior beautifully.
- Is the Chartreuse Swizzle considered a Tiki drink?
While Green Chartreuse isn't a traditional tiki spirit like rum, the Chartreuse Swizzle is often categorized as a modern tiki or tropical cocktail. This is due to its use of pineapple and lime juices, crushed ice, the swizzling preparation method, and its overall refreshing, complex flavor profile, which aligns well with the tiki genre.