The Tipperary recipe
for your table
Place the martini glass in the freezer for fifteen minutes.
Fill a mixing glass three-quarters full with ice and pour in the Irish whiskey, red vermouth, and green Chartreuse.
Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
Stir for 30 seconds with a bar spoon, until the outside of the mixing glass becomes frosted.
Strain into the chilled glass and garnish the rim with an orange slice.
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The story
The Tipperary already appeared in 1916 in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslin, the New York bartender whose book also introduced the Aviation for the first time. His version used equal parts Irish whiskey, Chartreuse and Italian vermouth, and was shaken. In 1922, Harry MacElhone shifted the ratio in his ABC of Mixing Cocktails to much more whiskey, and that approach is closest to the current recipe. The 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book again features the equal-parts version. The name refers to the Irish county. The soldiers' song It's a Long Way to Tipperary was heard everywhere in those years, but there is no definitive evidence that the cocktail was named after it. In 2020, the IBA added the drink to its official list.
The right glass
The IBA specifies a chilled martini glass. The Tipperary is served without ice, and a stemmed glass prevents your hand from warming the drink. After stirring, you have about 11 cl, so a 19 to 21 cl glass is more than large enough without looking empty. The wide bowl releases the spicy aroma of the Chartreuse. If you want to spill less, choose a smaller glass with a rounded bowl. View our martini glasses.
RCR Timeless Martini Glass 21 cl (6 pieces)
Onis Spksy Martini Glass 19 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a Tipperary, besides the glass you use a mixing glass, a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, a Julep strainer and a bitters bottle. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 144,70.
What do you make a Tipperary with?
You need whisky for a Tipperary. Well-known bottles include Jameson, Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino, and Angostura. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The oldest version uses equal parts whiskey, vermouth, and Chartreuse: sweeter and much more herbal. An orange zest instead of the slice mentioned by the IBA works too; this way, the oil goes directly onto the drink. Yellow Chartreuse makes it softer and more honeyed. If you want to try green Chartreuse with gin, see the Last Word, and for a stirred whiskey cocktail with cherry liqueur and absinthe, see the Remember the Maine.
Serving tip
Place the martini glass in the freezer for fifteen minutes and keep the vermouth in the refrigerator, because an opened bottle loses its freshness after a few weeks. Serve the Tipperary before the meal, with savory snacks such as smoked salmon or aged cheese.
Good to know
How to make a Tipperary cocktail: stir, don't shake
All the ingredients are clear, so you stir. Fill a mixing glass three-quarters full with hard ice cubes, pour in the whiskey, vermouth and Chartreuse, and add the bitters. Stir for 30 seconds with a long bar spoon. During that time, the temperature drops below zero and about 2 cl of water melts in, enough to tame the Chartreuse's 55 percent ABV. Shaking makes the drink cloudy and full of air bubbles, and that also changes how it feels in the mouth. You can find a heavy mixing glass with a pouring spout in our mixing glasses.
Which Irish whiskey works best
An ordinary 40 percent ABV blended Irish whiskey is fine, such as Jameson or Bushmills; Ensslin even named Bushmills specifically in 1916. That whiskey is soft and lightly fruity, leaving room for the Chartreuse. If you want more body, choose a single pot still whiskey such as Redbreast: it has more spice and an oily texture that stands up well to the vermouth. Smoky whisky does not work here because it clashes with the herbs. So you do not need to open an expensive bottle for a good Tipperary.
What is green Chartreuse
Chartreuse is a French herbal liqueur made by Carthusian monks since the eighteenth century in the mountains near Grenoble. The recipe is secret and, according to the makers, contains 130 plants, herbs and flowers. The green version is 55 percent ABV and tastes of mint, anise, pine and honey, both bold and sweet. The yellow version is 40 percent ABV, softer and sweeter. Green is the standard in a Tipperary; at 1.5 cl it does not dominate, but you taste it in every sip. A bottle lasts a long time because you usually use it in small quantities.
Difference between Tipperary and Manhattan
Both are stirred, without citrus and with sweet vermouth. The Manhattan uses rye or bourbon and draws on the wood and spices of that whiskey. The Tipperary swaps those for Irish whiskey, which is softer and fruitier, and adds green Chartreuse. This makes it more herbal and fresher on the finish, almost as if it contained mint. Angostura bitters are used in both. If you find a Manhattan too heavy or too sweet, the Tipperary is often the lighter, more herbal counterpart you are looking for.
Ingredients at a glance
For one Tipperary, you need 5 cl Irish whiskey, 2.5 cl sweet red vermouth, 1.5 cl green Chartreuse and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, plus a slice of orange and plenty of ice for stirring. The whiskey is the base, the vermouth adds sweetness and a slightly bitter wine flavor, and the Chartreuse provides herbs and strength. The bitters tie everything together and dry the finish. Choose a good-quality red vermouth, such as an Italian vermouth di Torino, and refrigerate it after opening.
Tipperary for a group
For six glasses, mix 30 cl Irish whiskey, 15 cl red vermouth, 9 cl green Chartreuse and 12 dashes of bitters in a bottle. Add 11 cl cold water: this is the dilution that stirring would otherwise provide. Refrigerate the bottle for at least three hours and place the martini glasses in the freezer for half an hour. Pour about 11 cl into each glass and add a slice of orange. This way, every glass is on the table within a minute and the ratio is the same in all glasses.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Tipperary cocktail?
According to the IBA, a Tipperary consists of 5 cl Irish whiskey, 2.5 cl sweet red vermouth, 1.5 cl green Chartreuse and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Stir everything with ice in a mixing glass, strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a slice of orange.
Where does the Tipperary cocktail come from?
The oldest known recipe appears in Recipes for Mixed Drinks from 1916 by New York bartender Hugo Ensslin. He used equal parts Irish whiskey, Chartreuse and vermouth. The current recipe with much more whiskey resembles the version Harry MacElhone published in 1922.
Can you use Yellow Chartreuse in a Tipperary?
You can, but it will be a different drink. At 40 percent, Yellow Chartreuse is lighter and sweeter than the 55 percent green variety, and tastes more like honey and saffron. This makes the Tipperary rounder and less herbal. You may want to use slightly less vermouth so it doesn't become too sweet.
Which glass do you use for a Tipperary?
A chilled martini glass holding 19 to 21 cl, as prescribed by the IBA. The drink goes into the glass without ice, so you hold it by the stem. A Nick & Nora glass with a round bowl is a good alternative if you want to spill less.
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