The Chartreulep

Ingredients:

2.5oz Bourbon

.5oz Green Chartreuse

Yellow Chartreuse (optional)

Elixir Vegetal (optional)

8 Mint Leaves

2 Mint Sprigs

Instructions:

Add the mint leaves and Green Chartreuse to the bottom of a julep cup (a highball or even double old fashioned glass will do). Muddle gently. Add the bourbon and give a slight stir. Add crushed ice to fill the cup with a little mound above the cup (see pictures). Top with a generous drizzle of Yellow Chartreuse, then add a dash or two of Elixir Vegetal after the Yellow Chartreuse settles in a bit. Garnish with the mint sprigs.

Notes:

Anise, and mint great the nose. This simple addition of Green Chartreuse to the Mint Julep completely changes the taste. Think Diamondback meets Mint Julep. The Chartrulep, like the Diamondback is potent. Undertones of whiskey are accented with, anise, herbs, grass and mint. An unbelievable combo that lends itself very well to the julep format. If you are going for the trifecta (by adding Yellow Chartreuse and/or Elixir Vegetal) things get even more interesting. The Yellow Chartreuse sweetness the pot (or cup as it were), adding notes of honey, while the Elixir Vegetal brings more herbality.

Tips:

  • Use a spoon straw and eat the Chartreuse laced ice as you drink this one.
  • This is a strong Julep, as depending on your bourbon, it will likely be the lowest proof ingredient in this smash.

The Chartreulep 2

History:

In an attempt to make a trifecta of juleps, I wanted to make a Mint Julep that would appeal to those like myself, who are not the biggest fans of iced cocktails (the site is called The Straight Up afterall), but want to enjoy a Julep or two now and then, especially for Derby Day. I wanted to keep this close to a traditional mint julep, but booze it up a little more. Green Chartreuse seemed like a natural to mix with bourbon and mint as the herbal and anise flavor pairs well with the two. Yellow Chartreuse also worked well in my trial runs, but ultimately preferred the green version better.

As mentioned above, think Diamondback meets Julep. The larger proportion of bourbon somewhat takes the place of the apple brandy and rye, as far as sweetness goes. With just Green Chartreuse, The Chartrulep is a great spirit forward Julep that will appeal to those looking for something a little different, without straying too far from a typical Mint Julep.

Interested in completing the Trifecta?

Do you have what it takes to complete the Trifecta?

Do you have what it takes to complete the Trifecta?

You are going to need some Yellow Chartreuse and Elixir Vegetal. By “floating” a bit of Yellow Chartreuse on top, the drink gradually becomes a little sweeter as the honey flavor works its way nicely into the mix. Not stopping there, adding just a little Elixir Vegetal to the top enhances the nose as you sip, while furthering the herbal and vegetal flavors at work in the Chartrulep and rounding out the trifecta.

Variations:

If you don’t have Green Chartreuse never fear, this one also tastes great, although different with Yellow Chartreuse or Strega. If you wanted to really play up the anise side of things, try adding some absinthe instead of Chartreuse.