Taste profile
Balanced, light, soft, and balanced.
LiqueurMediumCocktail glass
Cocktail guide
Bijou
Bijou combines Orange Bitters, Green Chartreuse, Gin, Sweet Vermouth in a cocktail served in a cocktail glass. It is a strong fit for date night and feels right at home in a well-stocked cocktail rotation.
Best for
Best for date night.
Quick fact
A bijou is a mixed alcoholic drink composed of gin, vermouth, and Chartreuse. This cocktail was invented by Harry Johnson, "the father of professional bartending", who called it bijou because it combined the colors of three jewels: gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby, and Chartreuse for emerald. An original-style bijou is made stirred with ice as Johnson's 1900 New and Improved Bartender Manual states "mix well with a spoon and serve." This recipe is also one of the oldest in the manual, dating back to the 1890s.
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Ingredients
Everything in the glass.
How to make it
Build it step by step.
Language:
Stir in mixing glass with ice and strain
Method
Stirred
Finish
Usually finished with Orange Bitters.
Taste map
Strength
Balanced
Sweetness
Light
Sourness
Soft
Bitterness
Balanced
Read: Bijou is a medium alcoholic cocktail for date night with Orange Bitters, Green Chartreuse, Gin.
Texture and serve cues
✓Has citrus
-Has bubbles
-Creamy texture
-Frozen style
Glassware
Cocktail glass
Method
Stirred
More to know before you make it
A fuller read on the drink.
Flavor & pairing
Expect a balanced profile with support from Orange Bitters, Green Chartreuse, Gin. Easy to serve with snacks, small plates, and casual sharing food.
Serving & context
Serve in a cocktail glass and aim for a medium prep that still feels polished in the glass. Bijou sits comfortably in the liqueur cocktail tradition, with an approachable style for home bartenders.
Background
Why this cocktail keeps showing up.
A bijou is a mixed alcoholic drink composed of gin, vermouth, and Chartreuse. This cocktail was invented by Harry Johnson, "the father of professional bartending", who called it bijou because it combined the colors of three jewels: gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby, and Chartreuse for emerald. An original-style bijou is made stirred with ice as Johnson's 1900 New and Improved Bartender Manual states "mix well with a spoon and serve." This recipe is also one of the oldest in the manual, dating back to the 1890s.
A bijou is a mixed alcoholic drink composed of gin, vermouth, and Chartreuse. This cocktail was invented by Harry Johnson, "the father of professional bartending", who called it bijou because it combined the colors of three jewels: gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby, and Chartreuse for emerald. An original-style bijou is made stirred with ice as Johnson's 1900 New and Improved Bartender Manual states "mix well with a spoon and serve." This recipe is also one of the oldest in the manual, dating back to the 1890s. The bijou was popular for several decades. Unlike the Manhattan and the martini, however, the bijou disappeared after Prohibition. It was rediscovered by "the King of Cocktails" Dale DeGroff in the 1980s, when he stumbled upon the recipe in Johnson's book. While the original cocktail had equal parts of the three ingredients, DeGroff tripled the ratio of gin to vermouth and Chartreuse to soften the taste profile. Eventually, his recipe became the standard.
Reference cards
Base spirit
Liqueur
Category
Cocktail
Alcohol
Alcoholic
Glass
Cocktail glass
Method
Stirred
Garnish
Usually finished with Orange Bitters.
Sources and extras
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