Gin, stirred
Bijou
Barline 1,1,1,1,Rl
The code is the shorthand off my printed menu; the Key tab decodes every letter.
- 1 oz Gin
- 1 oz Chartreuse
- 1 oz Sweet vermouth
- 1 dash Orange bitters
Stir with ice until cold, then strain.
Rocks, iced, lemon twist.
Taste
Equal ounces of gin, green Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth, so the herbal liqueur is a third of the drink. One dash of orange bitters is peel. Stirred, rocks with ice, lemon twist. Gin, Chartreuse, and grape, and the cube.
History
Harry Johnson prints the Bijou in his 1900 Bartender's Manual as equal Plymouth gin, green Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, a cherry, and a lemon twist, the name from the French for jewel, the three liquids standing for diamond, emerald, and ruby. Johnson claimed it; David Wondrich notes it may be older. Most later books serve it up. This menu keeps the equal parts and the orange bitters, and pours it over ice with a lemon twist.
Same shape, other bottles
The Martini family, with the bottle that changed.
- FitchettBénédictine for Chartreuse
- Automobilewith scotch
- 1910mezcal, cognac, and maraschino liqueur for gin and Chartreuse
- Country Clublight rum and dry vermouth for gin and sweet vermouth
- Vancouverdry vermouth and Bénédictine for sweet vermouth and Chartreuse
- Journalistorange liqueur for Chartreuse
This is one drink on my home bar's menu. Tick the bottles you own and the menu lists which of all 185 drinks they pour.