The Bijou truly is a “hidden gem” cocktail. For all the non-francophones who didn’t get that joke, “bijou” is French for “jewelry.” Although this cocktail was fashionable in the early 20th century, it was almost totally forgotten in modern times. However, thanks to the recent interest in Prohibition-era drinks, the Bijou is gaining traction on the global bar scene.
To add some extra “glam” to this glittering cocktail, we think it’s fitting to garnish with a dropperful of Tribe CBD oil. You’ll be amazed how a dropperful of CBD makes this drink “sparkle!”
CBD Bijou Recipe
There are a few theories behind the Bijou’s name, but the most famous has to do with its color. According to some bartenders, each spirit corresponds with a different item of jewelry. Gin is linked with diamonds, green chartreuse with emeralds, and sweet vermouth with rubies. However, that doesn’t explain why this cocktail has such a distinctly French name.
Arguably, the reason mixologists gave this drink a French name has to do with the green chartreuse. If you’re familiar with French geography, you may know about the Chartreuse Mountains in Grenoble. Interestingly, monks in this region have been mixing this boozy blend of Alpine botanicals since the 1700s.
Because there are hundreds of herbs in green chartreuse, it’s challenging for new drinkers to describe its unique flavor. However, most people say green chartreuse is slightly more bitter than the yellow variety. So, if you find this drink too astringent for your palate, consider subbing with yellow chartreuse.
By the way, if you’re interested in fancy French-sounding cocktails, you’ll find plenty of other recipes on Tribe CBD’s blog. Be sure to check out our previous posts on iconic drinks like the CBD French 75 or the Vieux Carre.
Ingredients
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 1 oz green chartreuse
- Two dashes of orange bitters
- 1 dropperful Tribe CBD oil
- Luxardo cherry
Directions
- Pour gin, bitters, sweet vermouth, and green chartreuse in a mixing glass
- Add ice and stir until chilled
- Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with Tribe CBD oil and a cherry
There’s still some debate over the proper garnish for the Bijou cocktail. While many bartenders believe a Luxardo cherry adds the right balance of sweetness, others prefer an olive. Heck, you may even find a few “controversial” recipes that call for an orange twist.
It’s also worth mentioning that modern bartenders cut back on the green chartreuse and sweet vermouth. Indeed, author Dale DeGroff has become quite famous for upping the gin to 1 ½ ounce and reducing the other ingredients to ½ ounce. Supposedly, this new recipe is better suited for the contemporary palate.
As always, you should feel free to make these CBD cocktail recipes your own. Who cares if you don’t have the ingredients in the “authentic” proportions? If you don’t enjoy your cocktail, then there’s no point in mixing it!
Want To Try Hemp’s “Crown Jewel?” Check Out Tribe’s CBG Capsules!
All this talk of jewelry has got us thinking of the ultra-rare cannabinoid CBG. Although CBG is similar to CBD, it’s incredibly scarce in a mature hemp plant. For this reason, some people refer to CBG as the “Rolls-Royce” of cannabinoids. However, since the demand for this cannabinoid has been surging in recent years, more hemp cultivators are figuring out hi-tech ways to extract it.
Tribe CBD is now proud to offer affordably priced, high-quality CBG capsules. To learn more about this unique cannabinoid, please visit here.