Tipperary
An Irish whiskey classic in which green Chartreuse and sweet vermouth meet the whiskey in tight, herbal balance.
Ingredients
- Irish whiskey, ideally single pot still60 ml
- Green Chartreuse10 ml
- Sweet vermouth, fresh and well kept20 ml
- Orange bitters2 dashes
- Lemon, to garnish (optional)1 twist
Method
- Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.
- Add the Irish whiskey, green Chartreuse, sweet vermouth and orange bitters.
- Stir well for about 30 seconds, until ice cold and properly diluted.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
- Twist the lemon peel over the drink to release its oils and drop it in as a garnish.
- Serve straight away.
About this drink
The Tipperary appeared around 1916, in Hugo Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks, as equal parts Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth and green Chartreuse. Harry MacElhone adjusted the ratio in his 1922 book, and the drink has since moved towards a whiskey-forward style in which the Chartreuse's intense herbal character is only hinted at. Today it works as an Irish cousin of the Manhattan.
Questions and answers
What kind of drink is the Tipperary?
An Irish relative of the Manhattan, where Irish whiskey meets green Chartreuse and sweet vermouth: a spiced, herbal cocktail named after the Irish county.
Does the whiskey have to be Irish in a Tipperary?
Not strictly, but you lose Irish whiskey's gentler, more floral profile, which balances the strength of the Chartreuse better than a smokier Scotch usually does.
