Chartreuse is a sweet liqueur with an herbal flavor, made in France. It is one of my favorite alterations to many basic cocktails for adding just a little extra depth to the experience. The Chartreuse Gimlet is a variation on the standard gimlet, which is itself a variation on a sour cocktail! Wow what a journey.
What Makes A Chartreuse Gimlet Special?
The Chartreuse Gimlet is very similar to the ordinary gimlet in that the main tasting notes are lime and gin. However, considering we’re only adding .25oz of Green Chartreuse, it’s fascinating how much it changes the character of the cocktail. Chartreuse is commonly paired with gin in many different cocktails, as it’s herbal notes compliment the botanical nature of gin and they tend to play nice together. Be careful, though, as Chartreuse tends to be a bully in cocktails and too much can be a major turn-off.
How To Make A Chartreuse Gimlet
This one is pretty much the same construction and ratios as the classic gimlet, with the exception of the sweetener. Instead of throwing .75oz of simple syrup in there, we’re gonna exchange .25oz of simple for .25oz of Green Chartreuse, then add the remaining .5oz of syrup. Since Chartreuse is naturally sweet, just adding it to the top of the normal build could make the cocktail to syrupy to be balanced. Also, don’t skimp on the lime juice. Fresh squeezed, double strained juice is essential for cocktails with minimal ingredients. It REALLY makes a difference.
Chartreuse Gimlet Recipe
- 2oz London dry gin (I use Bombay Sapphire)
- .75oz lime juice
- .5oz simple syrup
- .25oz Green Chartreuse
Add all ingredients to a shaker, fill 3/4 with ice, shake for 10-15 seconds, and pour into a coupe glass. Enjoy this one ice cold.