Champs Élysées
Champs-Élysées: The 1925 Cognac and Chartreuse Classic
The earliest record of this cocktail comes from the 1925 book "Drinks Long and Short" by Nina Toye & A. H. Adair Vintageamericancocktails. The recipe book was published in 1925 and this origin helps understand the intention behind the drink Robb Report. The Champs Elysees was first recorded in the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930 Tuxedo No.2, which helped popularize the drink internationally.
The Champs-Élysées is an old, excellent Sidecar riff named after the famous avenue in Paris, with its main deviation being that it employs Chartreuse instead of Cointreau Tom Macy. The original Savoy recipe was formulated for a party of six and calls for the somewhat mysterious "sweetened lemon juice" without any assistance on how to make it Tuxedo No.2.
The Savoy recipe doesn't specify a type of Chartreuse, but intuition steered many toward the familiar Green Chartreuse Tuxedo No.2. The Savoy Cocktail Book helped introduce Americans to cocktails made with less common liqueurs and aperitifs such as Chartreuse, which were more familiar with European cocktails Vintageamericancocktails. The drink elegantly showcases two quintessentially French spirits.
RECIPE:
1½ oz cognac
½ oz Green Chartreuse
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
¼ oz simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Method:
Add cognac, Chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters to shaker with ice
Shake vigorously until well chilled
Strain into chilled coupe glass
Garnish with lemon twist