The Chartreuse Swizzle combines Green Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice, and falernum into a refreshing, pastel green, modern tropical classic. Created in 2003 by San Francisco bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos, the drink began as an entry in a Chartreuse-sponsored cocktail competition where the recipe won top honors. It first appeared on the menu at Harry Denton’s Starlight Room before gaining wider recognition in 2008 at San Francisco’s Clock Bar where the Chartreuse Swizzle became a modern classic.
By swapping the rum base of a traditional Caribbean swizzle for Green Chartreuse, Dionysos gave new life to an old-school format. The result is a drink that carries the DNA of classics like Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Swizzle while showcasing the herbal complexity of Chartreuse. With its crushed ice presentation and mint garnish, the Swizzle is as aromatic and cooling as any island original, but distinctly modern in style.
Why the Chartreuse Swizzle works
The Chartreuese Swizzle perfectly balances a unique blend ingredients. Green Chartreuse, a Carthusian monk–made liqueur containing over 100 botanicals, provides a vivid backbone of herbs, pine, and citrus peel. Velvet Falernum, a liqueur flavored with lime zest, clove, and almond, amplifies Chartreuse’s spice while adding subtle sweetness.
Pineapple juice adds fresh, fruity depth and softens the sharper herbal notes, while lime juice provides brightness and acidity to keep the drink balanced.
Using a swizzle stick to mix the drink with crushed ice aerates and chills the drink while gradually diluting the Chartreuse, transforming it into a smooth, crushable cocktail. A garnish of fresh mint and grated nutmeg reinforces the cocktail’s aromatic experience, making each sip fresh and fragrant.
