This is a good green cocktail. Seriously, try it.

Well, St. Patrick’s Day is coming, and despite being contrived and hokey, I have been researching green cocktails. But I was looking (praying?) for a green drink that was not artificially green, minty or nasty. A search for St. Patrick’s day cocktails did not really solve the problem, in fact it was pretty depressing. So I figured that I would approach the problem backwards and look for a decent green ingredient and build from there.

That led me pretty quickly to Chartueuse, another of those strong, medicinal European liqueurs that pop up in many traditional cocktails. Chartreuse is made in France by Carthusian Monks (gotta love the French, even the monks). Made from a secret formula with the extracts from over 130 plants, Chartreuse is, not surprisingly, green. It is strong stuff (100 proof), sweet and features intense herbal flavors. I would not drink this stuff straight. And Chartreuse isn’t cheap either, at about 30 bucks for a small bottle. But I made the plunge and bought some, figuring it will last a while. And I am glad I did, because I got to make this week’s drink, the Last Word, and it is good, real good. Continue reading →