Bijou

The Bijou is a classic stirred cocktail of the late nineteenth century, built in equal parts from gin, green Chartreuse and sweet (red) vermouth with a dash of orange bitters, stirred over ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. Its name is French for "jewel," chosen because its three spirits echo the colours of three gemstones — gin for diamond, green Chartreuse for emerald and red vermouth for ruby. It is a rich, aromatic, spirit-forward drink, herbal and boozy, with the powerful sweet-herbal weight of the Chartreuse the dominant note. It is credited to Harry Johnson, one of the founding figures of professional bartending, and survives as a celebrated relic of the golden age of the American cocktail.