Chartreuse Swizzle Recipe

Before you start

The Chartreuse Swizzle is a modern tiki-style drink usually credited to San Francisco bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos, from the early 2000s. It makes green Chartreuse the base spirit, which is unusual: the herbal French liqueur is normally used in small amounts. Pineapple, lime and falernum, a spiced lime and clove syrup, soften its intense herbal character into something bright and tropical.

The swizzle method is key. You build the drink over crushed ice in a tall glass, then spin a swizzle stick between your palms until the outside of the glass frosts. This chills and dilutes the drink quickly and evenly. Green Chartreuse is 55% ABV, so this drink is stronger than it tastes.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) green Chartreuse
• 30 ml (1 oz) pineapple juice — fresh or chilled 100% juice
• 22 ml (¾ oz) fresh lime juice
• 15 ml (½ oz) falernum — store-bought or homemade
• 2 cups (about 250 g) crushed ice
• 1 mint sprig — for garnish
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. Crush the ice in a Lewis bag or pulse it briefly in a blender until it is pebble-sized. Keep it in the freezer until needed.
2. Add the Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice and falernum to the tall glass.
3. Fill the glass about two-thirds with crushed ice.
4. Insert the swizzle stick to the bottom and roll it quickly between your palms while moving it up and down. Swizzle for about 15 seconds, until a thin layer of frost forms on the outside of the glass.
5. Pack more crushed ice on top to form a small dome.
6. Grate nutmeg over the ice and tuck in a slapped mint sprig next to a straw. Serve right away.

Tips for success

• Real swizzle sticks are cut from a branch with small prongs at the bottom. A bar spoon works but takes a little longer.
• Grate the nutmeg just before serving; pre-ground nutmeg lacks the sharp aroma that lifts the herbs.
• Serve with a straw. It lets the drinker reach the colder, well-mixed liquid at the bottom.

Substitutions

Green Chartreuse

Yellow Chartreuse makes a softer, sweeter, honeyed swizzle at a lower proof; cut the falernum to 10 ml.

Falernum

Use 10 ml simple syrup, a pinch of grated lime zest and a dash of Angostura. The spice is milder.

Pineapple juice

Passion fruit juice makes it tarter and more fragrant; add 5 ml more falernum.

Troubleshooting

It tastes like cough syrup

Too little dilution or not enough citrus. Swizzle longer and add 5 ml more lime.

The glass never frosts

The ice was too wet or not finely crushed, or the glass was warm. Use fresh crushed ice from the freezer.

It turns watery fast

Ice crushed to snow melts quickly. Aim for pebble-sized pieces.

Storage

Serve immediately. Chartreuse keeps for years sealed in a cool place. Homemade falernum keeps about 1 month in the fridge; discard it if cloudy or moldy.

Safety notes

Green Chartreuse is 55% ABV, so this drink contains about 1.5 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and never drink and drive.