The Bijou cocktail recipe

In the kingdom of cocktails, there lies a unique treasure, a relic of a bygone era. Enter the Bijou – a fusion of flavours that’ll transport you back in time with a cheeky glint. 

A cocktail that helped define drinking in the late 19th century, the Bijou (meaning ‘jewel’ in French) is a true relic, an amalgam of flavours and aromas with an equally rich history. The invention of the Bijou cocktail is commonly attributed to pioneering bartender Harry Johnson, who included the recipe in his 1900s book, The Bartender’s Manual. Slipping into obscurity after Prohibition, the cocktail regained attention in the 1980s when – peeking back in time for a gleam of inspiration – the “King of Cocktails” Dale DeGroff discovered a pearl in Harry’s book. The rest is history. With its bold and elaborate character, the Bijou twinkled its way back into the spotlight to adorn the menus of world-famous bars.

Named for the jewel-like tones of the three liquors that make it – gin for diamond, vermouth for ruby and Chartreuse for emerald – this spirit-forward cocktail is delightfully complex. Crisp and herbaceous, the Bijou is almost a riff on a Negroni’s gin and vermouth base, before swerving sharply into Chartreuse-ville. Full-flavoured, rich and herbal, this gem isn’t for the faint-hearted (we've got more ideas for how to use Green Chartreuse here). A drink that begs to be savoured, the Bijou is a tasty reminder that sometimes, the most improbable combinations can yield the most interesting results. 

Standing as a testament to the ingenuity of mixologists past and present, the original Bijou recipe calls for equal portions of gin, sweet vermouth and neon-green Chartreuse. Today, modern versions tend to be a little more measured, or perhaps lenient, to match the more discerning contemporary palates. 

A trifecta of ingredients accompanied by a dash of orange bitters, the Bijou is unabashedly herbaceous. Not vibing the herby hyperbole? Feel free to combat it by adding a little more gin and dial back the other two elements. This will result in a drier, crisper drink, while still keeping all the same qualities of the original intact. Want to try a more floral version? The Bijou Blanc has a delightful French twist that swaps the sweet vermouth for bianco or extra dry vermouth.

It’s also common to dial back the amount of Chartreuse in the Bijou to dilute the intensity of the aromatic French liqueur’s dominant flavours, a la this recipe. That said, if you like keeping things bold and traditional, try one ounce of each ingredient for an authentically vivid Bijou. 

Garnish with a luxardo cherry or lemon peel, or do as it says in Harry’s original recipe and use both. A vintage classic however you spin it, you’ll soon see that the Bijou is a delicious jewel in the crown at any soireé.