Bijou Cocktail
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28.1% ABV ∙
The Bijou is a stirred spirit-forward cocktail of gin, an herbal liqueur such as green Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth, named for its jewel-toned ingredients. Juniper and herbal Chartreuse push forward first, sweet vermouth smooths the edges, and a bittersweet, faintly medicinal finish lingers — best sipped slowly before dinner.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 25 mlHerbal liqueur (e.g., Green Chartreuse) 15 mlRosso vermouth 30 mlOrange bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- Stir, never shake, for a full 20-30 seconds over large ice cubes — this all-spirit build should stay silky and fully chilled without clouding or over-diluting.
- Rosso vermouth is the largest pour here at 30 ml, more than the gin, so measure it rather than free-pouring or the herbal sweetness buries the juniper.
- Express the lemon twist's oils over the surface and discard the peel, then add the maraschino cherry separately so its sweetness doesn't mute the citrus aroma.
- Chill the coupe in the freezer beforehand since this stirred, spirit-forward drink has no ice in the glass to keep it cold once strained.
History
The Bijou first appeared in print in 1895 in C. F. Lawlor's book The Mixicologist, where it was made of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Grand Marnier. Five years later, veteran bartender and bar-management consultant Harry Johnson published a revised version in the 1900 edition of his New and Improved Bartender's Manual, swapping in green Chartreuse for the Grand Marnier and adding a dash of orange bitters; this recipe, made of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Chartreuse, is the one that endured and is generally credited as the standard Bijou. Johnson is said to have named the drink after the French word for jewel, likening the gin to a diamond, the vermouth to a ruby, and the Chartreuse to an emerald. The Bijou was popular for several decades but fell out of use as tastes shifted toward drier, simpler cocktails, until bartender Dale DeGroff rediscovered Johnson's recipe in the 1980s and popularized a version with roughly triple the gin to soften the original's strong, herbal balance.
FAQ
What is in a Bijou drink?
A Bijou is made of London dry gin, an herbal liqueur such as green Chartreuse, and sweet (rosso) vermouth, stirred with a dash of orange bitters and strained into a chilled glass. It is garnished with a lemon twist and a maraschino cherry.
How do you make a Bijou cocktail?
Combine gin, green Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters in a mixing glass, stir with ice for about 30 seconds, and strain into a chilled coupe. Finish with a lemon twist and a maraschino cherry.
Is the Bijou a strong cocktail?
Yes, at around 28% ABV it is a strong, spirit-forward drink, similar in strength to a Martini or Manhattan. There is no citrus or soda to dilute it, so it drinks like a classic stirred aperitif rather than a light, sessionable cocktail.
What is the difference between a Bijou and a Negroni?
A Bijou uses an herbal liqueur such as green Chartreuse alongside gin and sweet vermouth, giving it a botanical, faintly sweet profile, while a Negroni replaces that liqueur with a red bitter such as Campari, making it more overtly bitter and orange-forward. Both are stirred, gin-based, and served in similar strengths.
