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The Champs Elysees – Chartreuse Cocktail

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Last Updated on June 8, 2023 by Leah Hall

A great classic Calvados and green chartreuse cocktail, of French origin.

 

We love exploring classic cocktail books and revisiting classic cocktails. This week we head back to one of our favorite books, Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail. It might be the definitive collection of Pre-Prohibition era cocktails. One cocktail that caught our eye was the Champs Elysees, a classic French cocktail that just exudes elegance.

 

Green Chartreuse Cocktail

The Champs Elysees faded from popularity for a while. But, as interest in classic cocktails has grown, you can now find the Champs Elysees on many menus at craft cocktail bars.

 

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Champs Elysees cocktail, orange drink in coupe, orange peel. Floral, strainer, lemon in background.

Coupe Glass / Fine Mesh Strainer

The traditional Champs Elysees is as French as its namesake, using two classic French spirits, cognac and Chartreuse. This creates an intriguing elegant cocktail. In the Savoy Cocktail book, Harry Craddock (one of the most famous bartenders of the 1920s and 1930s) presents the Champs Elysees as a six person recipe, which means this was a heck of a party drink!

 

If You are Looking for a Classic Cocktail, Try These!

 

Like many cocktails of this era, this cocktail showcases the spirits. It doesn’t try to hide the boozy aspects beneath a ton of mixers.

Champs Elysee cocktail with orange peel. Lemon, flowers, strainer and jigger in background

Jigger / Angostura Bitters / Shaker

The Champs Elysees prominently features Green Chartreuse in the cocktail, which gives the cocktail a very unique flavor. Chartreuse is a unique liqueur made up of a combination of 130 herbs and botanicals that are combined per a recipe passed down by Carthusian monks since 1737.

This liqueur is super complex and aromatic, with layers of flavors. They combine to make a very herb forward spirit and rich green color that is uniquely French.

Champs Elysee cocktail with orange peel. Lemon, flowers, jigger and strainer

Is Calvados A Cognac?

We decided to mix up our take on the Champs Elysees and substitute in another classic French spirit, Calvados for the cognac. Calvados is an apple brandy distilled from French apple cider in the Normandy region, where there are huge apple orchards.

 

With a large concentration of apple orchards in the region, it was only natural that the farmer’s of Normandy decided to use some of their harvest to make booze from their cider! It is distilled twice like a cognac.

Champs Elysee cocktail, orange peel. Orange, flowers, strainer and jigger in background

The combination of Calvados and Chartreuse make for a great pairing. The hint of apple in the Calvados enhancing the natural sweetness in the Chartreuse cocktail. With the spirits being fairly bold, we needed to bring the drink into balance by adding in a sour and a sweet component.

 

One sure fire way to add a sour component is to incorporate some fresh squeezed lemon juice. This not only brings sour notes but also a bright hint of citrus that helps pull out some of the more subtle herbal notes of the Chartreuse. A splash of simple syrup sweetens up the drink and balances out the spirits and sour.

Champs Elysee cocktail, orange peel, lemon, strainer and jigger in background

What Ingredients are Needed for the Champs Elysees Cocktail?

  • Lemon Juice
  • Simple Syrup
  • Green Chartreuse
  • Apple Brandy
  • Salt
  • Angostura Bitters

 

A couple of dashes of aromatic bitters brings a finishing touch to our take on the Champs Elysees by adding a hint of spice. The bitters works really well with the apple hints from the Calvados. A pinch of salt tempers the tartness of the lemon and helps smooth the herbal notes to make it very pleasing to the tastebuds!

Champs Elysee Cocktail with strainer, lemon and flowers in background

A pleasing combination of sweet and citrus, the Champs Elysees has a wonderful herbal component that makes this cocktail a real study in layered flavors and aromas. Fans of spirit forward cocktails will enjoy this as the spirits are boldly showcased, while the citrus brings a refreshing tartness to the cocktail!

 

What herbs does Green Chartreuse Contain?

Lemon verbena, lemon balm, spearmint, fennel, thyme, angelica, sage, geranium, lemongrass, chamomile, bay, star anise, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, saffron, and many others. This is such a great herbal liqueur that adds to much flavor!

 

Cheers!

 

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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!

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The Lumiere Cocktail

 

Other Calvados Cocktails

Champs Elysees, orange cocktail in coupe with orange peel. Lemon, strainer, jigger and floral in background
Yield: 1

The Champs Elysees - A Calvados Brandy Cocktail

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes

Classic flavors in this cocktail - Calvados, green chartreuse and lemon.

Ingredients

Champs Elysees Cocktail

  • 1.50 ounces Calvados Apple Brandy
  • .50 ounce green chartreuse
  • .75 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • .50 ounce simple syrup
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a shaker.

Fill with ice and shake vigorously.

Strain into a cocktail coupe.

Garnish with a citrus twist.

Cheers!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 13.5gFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.8gProtein: 0.2g

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Miss Angie (@MySoCalledChaos)

Friday 24th of February 2017

This looks amazing! You are so talented when it comes to a good cocktail, seriously!

Aarika

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

This is beautiful! I have never heard of Green Chartreuse. I can't wait to try it. =) I've only recently started exploring using bitters as well, so this drink will be a great way to explore new territory. Your creations are always so stunning!

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

Thanks! Be prepared that green chartreuse is NOT cheap, just a warning, haha! It's such an interesting flavor though, and I hope you try it out! Cheers!

Pamela Marks

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

I am always looking at these for mock tail recipes for those of us who do not drink

Anne Campbell

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

This looks and sounds so good. The flavor combinations would be so refreshing!

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

Thanks! It is a tasty combo, cheers!

Maggie Unzueta

Monday 13th of February 2017

Calvados! Takes me back to my days in Paris. :)

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

It's so good, and such an interesting liquor! Cheers!

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