Spanish monk

Spanish Monk

(1 ratings)

A sophisticated gin cocktail featuring the herbal complexity of Green Chartreuse, balanced with fresh lemon juice and enriched with silky egg white foam.

SUGGESTED GLASSWARE

Coupe Glass

Keep screen on?

Recipe

1 cocktail (130ml)
  • London Dry Gin 
    45 ml
  • Green Chartreuse 
    15 ml
  • Lemon Juice 
    22.5 ml
  • Simple syrup (1:1) 
    15 ml
  • Egg White 
    1 whole
  • Lemon Peel 
    1 piece
Recipe credit: Charles H. Baker Jr., The South American Gentleman's Companion, 1951

Instructions

Step

Chill your coupe glass by filling it with ice water while preparing the cocktail.

Step

Add gin, Green Chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to your shaker. Perform a dry shake vigorously for 20 seconds without ice to emulsify the egg white.

Step

Add a generous handful of ice to the shaker and shake hard for another 15-20 seconds until the shaker is frosty and the drink is well chilled.

Step

Discard the ice water from your glass. Double strain the cocktail using both Hawthorne and fine mesh strainers into the chilled glass.

Step

Express a lemon twist over the drink to release oils, then drop it in or place on rim as garnish.

Equipment

Shaker
Fine Mesh Strainer
Jigger
Hawthorne Strainer

Description

The Spanish Monk is a classic gin-based cocktail that showcases the legendary herbal liqueur Green Chartreuse, created by Carthusian monks for over 400 years. This elegant drink combines botanical gin with the complex herbal notes of Chartreuse, bright citrus, and a luxurious egg white foam that creates both visual appeal and silky texture.

Nutritional information

1 cocktail (130ml)
Calories
185
ABV
22.5 %
Alcohol
23 g
Carbs
8 g
Carbs from Sugar
7 g
Fat
0 g
Protein
3.5 g
Sodium
55 mg
Nutritional information is approximate and includes estimated 30% dilution from ice. Values may vary based on specific brands and preparation methods.
Allergens
Egg, Sulfites

Tips & Notes

  • The dry shake is crucial for creating stable, creamy foam - never skip this step when using egg white.

  • Use only Green Chartreuse, not yellow - the green variety provides the authentic color and more complex herbal profile essential to the cocktail.

  • Double straining ensures a perfectly smooth, silky texture free from ice chips or egg white chunks.

  • Taste before serving and adjust balance - add more syrup if too tart, more lemon juice if too sweet.

  • Use the freshest eggs possible for safety and best foam quality when working with raw egg whites.

No, Green Chartreuse is essential for the authentic Spanish Monk. Yellow Chartreuse has a different flavor profile and lower alcohol content, which will significantly alter the cocktail’s taste and color.

When using fresh, clean eggs from a reputable source, the risk is minimal. If concerned, use pasteurized egg whites as an alternative, though the foam may be slightly different in texture.

Dry shaking without ice allows the egg white to emulsify properly without immediate dilution, creating a better foam structure. The subsequent wet shake with ice chills and dilutes the drink to proper serving temperature.

A classic London Dry gin with prominent juniper and botanical notes works best, as it provides the necessary backbone to balance the herbal complexity of Green Chartreuse without competing with it.

Related Creamy, Herbal, Sour cocktails

Ramos Gin Fizz

A legendary New Orleans cocktail known for its towering foam, silky texture, and delicate floral-citrus flavor.

Ramos gin fizz

Leave your comment

Cocktail Difficulty Levels

We’ve added a difficulty rating to every cocktail so you’ll know what to expect before you start mixing. It’s not about being “hard” or “easy” in the strict sense—it’s about how much preparation, skill, and hunting for ingredients you’ll need.

  • Beginner – Quick builds or simple shakes with common ingredients you’ll likely already have at home. Perfect for beginners or a casual evening.

  • Intermediate – A bit more technique (stirring, shaking, muddling, layering) and a few extra ingredients. You might need to buy one or two bottles or garnishes you don’t already stock.

  • Advanced – Multiple steps, specialty techniques (infusions, syrups, foams), or rare ingredients. These drinks take more effort and planning, but reward you with something truly impressive.

The rating is based on things like the number of ingredients, how rare they are, and the skills needed to bring the cocktail together.

Okay

Recipe notes

Create a free account 

My Bar, saved forever
Without an account, your ingredients are only stored in cookies and can disappear. With an account, your bar is saved securely – so you can always see which recipes you can craft (or almost craft) based on what you have at home.

Rate recipes
Share your opinion and help other cocktail lovers discover the best recipes.

Favourites at your fingertips
Save your go-to cocktails for quick access right from your account page.

Personal notes
Add your own tweaks, tips, or reminders to any recipe – perfect if you like to experiment or record what worked best.

Exclusive newsletter
Opt-in for insights into mixology, cocktail theory, and home bartending – plus stay updated when new recipes are added.

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • London Dry Gin
    45 ml
  • Green Chartreuse
    15 ml
  • Lemon Juice
    22.5 ml
  • Simple syrup (1:1)
    15 ml
  • Egg White
    1 whole
  • Lemon Peel
    1 piece

Method

  1. Chill your coupe glass by filling it with ice water while preparing the cocktail.
  2. Add gin, Green Chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to your shaker. Perform a dry shake vigorously for 20 seconds without ice to emulsify the egg white.
  3. Add a generous handful of ice to the shaker and shake hard for another 15-20 seconds until the shaker is frosty and the drink is well chilled.
  4. Discard the ice water from your glass. Double strain the cocktail using both Hawthorne and fine mesh strainers into the chilled glass.
  5. Express a lemon twist over the drink to release oils, then drop it in or place on rim as garnish.