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Purgatory Cocktail Drink

Purgatory Cocktail Recipe

Gavin Wrigley Written by Gavin Wrigley
Heat your winter with our easy-to-follow Purgatory cocktail recipe! This warming cocktail is perfect for the chilly season and is made with rye whiskey, Benedictine and Green Chartreuse.
Prep time: 1 minute
Mixing time: 1 minute
Servings: 1
Calories: 182

Ingredients
 

  • oz Rye Whiskey
  • ½ oz Bénédictine
  • ½ oz Green Chartreuse
  • Ice cubes
  • Lemon zest twist - for garnish, optional

Equipment

  • Coupe Glass preferably Nick & Nora style
  • Mixing Glass
  • Measuring Jigger
  • Cocktail Strainer
  • Bar spoon or long stirrer

Instructions

  • Prep Glass: Fill a coupe or martini glass with ice. Give it a stir to chill it and set it aside.
  • Add Bénédictine: Measure and pour ½ oz Bénédictine into the mixing glass.
  • Add Chartreuse: Add ½ oz Green Chartreuse.
  • Add Rye Whiskey: Finally, add 1½ oz Rye Whiskey to the mix.
  • Add Ice and Stir: Fill the mixing glass with ice. Using a bar spoon or a long stirrer, stir well (for about 15-20 seconds). Give it a taste and stir a bit more if you feel like more dilution is necessary.
  • Strain: Take your cocktail coupe or martini glass or and discard the ice inside. Using the cocktail strainer, strain the mixture into the chilled glass.
  • Garnish: Garnish with a lemon twist (express the orange zest on top of the drink and then place it on the rim of the glass or drop it directly inside). Serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutes:

  • Rye Whiskey: Bourbon can be a good substitute if you don't have rye whiskey. It will give the cocktail a slightly sweeter profile. You can also use Cognac, as it will make for a delicious drink too (see “Purgatory à la Française”).
  • Benedictine DOM: If you're out of Benedictine, you can use Drambuie or another similar herbal liqueur. The flavor will change slightly, but it will still work.
  • Green Chartreuse: You can use yellow Chartreuse for a slightly less alcoholic version. Chartreuse is a hard ingredient to replace, but if you cannot find any bottle of either green or yellow Chartreuse, Strega can be used as a substitute. It's also an herbal liqueur but has a slightly different flavor profile.

Making a Pitcher of Purgatory Cocktail:

  • Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 12 oz of rye whiskey, 4 oz of Benedictine, and 4 oz of Chartreuse.
  • Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the rye whiskey, Benedictine, and green Add ice and stir well. Give it a taste and stir a bit more if you feel like more dilution is necessary.
  • Serve: Strain to remove the ice, serve immediately into chilled coupe glasses and garnish each glass with a lemon zest twist. If you have some leftovers, keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container or bottle.

Making it Vegan:

Good news! The Purgatory cocktail is already vegan-friendly. Just ensure that any substitutes you use are also free from animal products.