Sometimes it’s fun to just follow the muse. I stumbled on the Chartreuse Swizzle at the excellent tiki cocktail blog “A Mountain of Crushed Ice”. It is a tiki cocktail blog, written by Helena “Tiare” Olsen a Swede who is in love with New Orleans and tiki cocktails. The world is indeed becoming smaller. The blog is full of joy, passion and great cocktail recipes. I’ve become an instant fan.

I found this recipe and was immediately smitten. I have been enjoying Chartreuse in Last Word cocktails, and this drink seemed too fun not to try. The drink features green Chartreuse, aged rum, pineapple, lime, falernum and bitters- all good stuff. The suggested caramelized lime garnish is way over the top, but this is a tiki drink, so why not?

The drink is great, with the full range of “tiki” flavors but some extra complexity from the Chartreuse. Tiki drinks are all about flavors that seem exotic and hard to pin down- this drink certainly has that. We had our neighbor, Jeni over to test the drink and she liked it as well. The Chartreuse keeps the drink from being too sweet or cloying at the finish, but it is still very much a tiki drink.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this cocktail, even though it was a bit or work. (Ok, I did end up using the broiler to fully caramelize the lime- but whatever, it worked). Something about fire and tiki drinks seems fitting. The Chartreuse Swizzle will certainly be a good conversation starter. 

Do I expect most people to run out, get some green Chartreuse and make a tiki drink with burning fruit garnish? No. But if you’re looking for a fun diversion on a rainy day, the Chartreuse Swizzle would be seriously good fun…

The Chartreuse Swizzle:

(Adapted from “A Mountain of Crushed Ice”)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 1 oz. Aged Jamaican rum (we used Appleton’s 12 yr. old)
• 1 and ½ oz. Pineapple juice
• ¾ oz. Lime juice
• ¼ oz. Falernum (we use Fee Brothers)
• 2 dash of bitters (we used Angostura)
• Caramelized lime with demerara sugar (see below for instructions)
• Crushed ice

Assemble:

1. Add crushed ice and all liquid ingredients to a large glass.
2. “Swizzle” by vigorously stirring all ingredients.
3. Garnish with mint and the caramelized lime.

 Caramelized Lime with Demerara Sugar:

1. Place a slice of lime in a small skillet or baking sheet.
2. Sprinke a teaspoon of demerara sugar (sugar in the raw) and a teaspoon of Chartreuse on the lime.
3. Brulee with a torch or put under a broiler for 4-5 minutes until caramelized.
4. Garnish drink. Serve.