Brandy Champarelle
A colorful layered pousse-cafe from the 1880s — brandy floated atop curacao, anisette, and Chartreuse for a dramatic after-dinner showpiece. — Crafted by Blinner with Love
Ingredients
- 0.5 oz Brandy
- 0.5 oz Orange curacao
- 0.5 oz Anisette
- 0.5 oz Yellow Chartreuse
Pairs With
Serve as an after-dinner digestif with dark chocolate truffles or petit fours, where the liqueur-layered drink's complexity and elegant presentation elevate the experience. It pairs beautifully with French pastries or citrus-based desserts that echo the Chartreuse notes.
Instructions
Pour anisette into a shot glass or pousse-cafe glass
Slowly layer yellow Chartreuse on top by pouring over the back of a bar spoon
Layer orange curacao on top of the Chartreuse
Float brandy as the final layer on top
Serve immediately without stirring
Tips
The layering works because each liqueur has a different density — pour slowly over an inverted spoon This recipe comes from Harry Johnson's 1882 Bartenders Manual The visual presentation is the point — each layer should be distinct and visible