Bijou
Classic | Cocktail | by Harry Johnson | from Anders Erickson
The 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.
Original
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75 oz / 19 ml 1.125 oz / 28 ml 1.5 oz / 37.5 ml 2.25 oz / 56.5 ml | Gin | Plymouth |
| 0.75 oz / 19 ml 1.125 oz / 28 ml 1.5 oz / 37.5 ml 2.25 oz / 56.5 ml | Sweet Vermouth | Cocchi Vermouth di Torino |
| 0.75 oz / 19 ml 1.125 oz / 28 ml 1.5 oz / 37.5 ml 2.25 oz / 56.5 ml | Green Chartreuse Green Chartreuse | |
| 1 dash | Orange Bitters | Regan’s No. 6 |
Notes
- Method: Stirred
- Pour: Julep Strain
- Glassware: Nick & Nora
- Garnish: Cocktail cherry
- Special Prep: Expressed lemon oil.
Modern Bijou
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| 1.25 oz / 31.5 ml 1.875 oz / 47 ml 2.5 oz / 62.5 ml 3.75 oz / 94 ml | Gin | Plymouth |
| 0.75 oz / 19 ml 1.125 oz / 28 ml 1.5 oz / 37.5 ml 2.25 oz / 56.5 ml | Sweet Vermouth | Cocchi Vermouth di Torino |
| 0.25 oz / 6.5 ml 0.375 oz / 9.5 ml 0.5 oz / 12.5 ml 0.75 oz / 19 ml | Green Chartreuse | Green Chartreuse |
| 1 dash | Orange Bitters | Regan’s No. 6 |
Notes
- Method: Stirred
- Pour: Julep Strain
- Glassware: Nick & Nora
- Garnish: Cocktail cherry
- Special Prep: Expressed lemon oil.
