Last week I told you all about green chartreuse and suggested a couple of green chartreuse cocktails, but for some people it's just too pungent, and certainly on the strong side!
Its little sister, yellow chartreuse, is lower in alcohol, lighter in flavour and sweeter too, so I find it a more approachable alternative for cocktails.
There are many, many uses for yellow chartreuse - even a tiny splash can transform a classic (add a few drops to a mojito, G&T or any chocolatey cocktail to see what you think) but a couple of the cocktails I've browsed through really stood out.
The first is the Bourbon Daisy - a variation on the brandy daisy, the cocktail I adapted a few months ago into the Crazy Daisy - and the second is an uber-refreshing Chinese Lady cocktail. Here are the recipes:
This is pretty strong as cocktails go, but perfect for bourbon fans looking for something a bit snazzier to sip at the weekend. It's also VERY red thanks to the grenadine - if you're put off by the colour, build it in an old-fashioned glass over tons of ice instead.
Ingredients (serves one):
- 50ml bourbon
- 25ml lemon juice
- 10ml grenadine
- 1 splash yellow chartreuse
Shake it!
Build all the cocktail ingredients over plenty of ice in a cocktail shaker, and give it a good old shake for 5-10 seconds.
Strain into a Champagne coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon or an orange slice, if you're feeling fancy.
Chinese Lady cocktail
(Found on the Absolut website)
This is another cocktail that packs a punch, but it uses enough yellow chartreuse to make it the star of this drink, so I had to try it. Personally, I found it a bit too strong (again, I'd recommend serving it over plenty of ice if you're like me!) - you can up the grapefruit juice to three parts if you'd like it a little weaker, and the chartreuse will still shine through.
Ingredients (serves one)- 50ml gin
- 25ml yellow chartreuse
- 25ml grapefruit juice
Shake it!
Pour all the ingredients into an ice-filled cocktail shaker, and give it a shake for about 5 seconds.
Pour into a chilled martini glass and serve.
If I've learned anything about chartreuse in my two weeks of experiments, it's that it's not for the faint-hearted! But if you like your cocktails packed full of flavour, and prefer to enjoy sipping one great cocktail than sloshing back 3 or 4 mediocre ones, this is the ingredient for you.
What did you think? What do you prefer - green or yellow chartreuse - and how do you have yours? Tell me in the comments!
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