On May 16, or 1605 on World Chartreuse Day, here’s to make the Episcopal Cocktail, a medley of herbal and sweet liqueurs in a glass.

Episcopal Chartreuse Cocktail – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
What is Chartreuse
Chartreuse is a French liqueur that has been produced by the Carthusian Monks since 1737 from a manuscript bestowed by Maréchal François-Annibal d’Estrées in their monastery in the year 1605. The recipe remains a secret known only to two monks.
Green Chartreuse (55% ABV) has a pungent nose of angelica, lime, marmalade, cocoa and peppermint. Vegetal and herbaceous on the palate with mint, thyme and a spicy back note. It gets its signature green colour from chlorophyl. Yellow Chartreuse (40% ABV) is a milder, sweeter and easier drinking liqueur. It has intense sweetness and honey character, chocolate, honey, saffron, aniseed, spice and peppermint. Its distinctive yellow colour is derived from saffron. Other expressions include Chartreuse VEP & Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Sommeliers.
Episcopal
On the back label of a bottle of Yellow Chartreuse, among the list of suggested cocktails, there’s a drink called Episcopal. The specs simply state:
1 part Green to 2 parts Yellow Chartreuse
Combine the two liqueurs and you have an after dinner sipper that is a medley of herbal notes with honey sweetness.
Our variation of the Episcopal cocktail flips the ratios around and favours more Green than Yellow Chartreuse. Use it as a guide and adjust it according to taste. Simply stir the two liqueurs with ice and strain into a Chartreuse glass over a large ice cube.
Episcopal Chartreuse Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 50ml Green Chartreuse
- 20ml Yellow Chartreuse
Glassware: Chartreuse glass or snifter
Garnish: none
Method
In a mixing glass, add Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse and stir with ice. Strain into a Chartreuse glass or snifter with a large ice cube.
Also in Chartreuse Cocktails:
You may also like: