New York City, United States · 2006

Greenpoint

Also known as Green Point

A Manhattan riff that swaps in Yellow Chartreuse for a warm, herbal kick that sits right in the middle of the drink.

herbalspicyspirit-forwardryeChartreusesweet vermouthwarmingafter-dinnerManhattan variationstirred

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is rye spice and sweet vermouth richness, then the Yellow Chartreuse shows up with its honeyed herbal weight. It finishes warm and slightly spiced, with the Chartreuse lingering long after the rye fades.

Who will like it

For people who like spirit-forward, herbal drinks with some sweetness — especially if you enjoy a Manhattan but want something with more going on.

When to drink

This is a cold-weather sipper — order it after dinner or on a slow evening when you want something to sit with.

Ordering tip

If the bar doesn't have Yellow Chartreuse, ask for Green Chartreuse instead but request just a rinse — it's much more aggressive and will overpower the drink at the usual measure.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $3–$6Glass: CoupeBatch-friendlyMake aheadHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

The Greenpoint drinks like a Manhattan that went wandering through an herb garden. Rye spice hits first, then the sweet vermouth rounds it out with dark, fruity weight. The Yellow Chartreuse is the wildcard — it adds a warm, honeyed herbal note that you can't quite pin down, and it hangs around in the finish long after the rye fades. It's not bitter, not sour, and not especially refreshing — it's a slow, warming drink with a lot going on if you pay attention.

Finish: The finish runs long and warm, with Yellow Chartreuse's herbal sweetness and rye spice lingering well after the sip.

Primary tastes

herbalsweetspicy

Secondary

bitterearthy

Aroma

lemon oilhoneyed herbsbaking spicedark fruit

Bitternessmildly bitter
The Angostura and the herbal notes in Chartreuse add a gentle bitterness that sits underneath the sweetness.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
Sweet vermouth and Yellow Chartreuse both bring sugar, but the rye keeps it from feeling cloying.
Strengthstrong and spirit-forward
Rye makes up the bulk of the drink and it shows — this hits with real warmth.
Refreshingheavy and warming
This is a slow sipper with weight and warmth, not something you gulp on a hot day.
Creaminesslight body
The vermouth gives it some texture and weight on the tongue, but it's still a clean, stirred drink.
Complexitylayered and evolving
Yellow Chartreuse alone has dozens of botanicals, and layered on rye and vermouth, the drink shifts as you sip it.

Recipe

Make it at home

Stirred · Coupe · equal parts on Rye Whiskey. A bold, spicy rye stands up best to the Chartreuse

Before you start

Put your coupe glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before you start. Pull out fresh ice — old ice that's been sitting in the freezer tastes stale and will muddy the drink.

Ingredients

Rye WhiskeyBase SpiritRittenhouse or Overholt work well60ml
Sweet VermouthVermouthCocchi di Torino or Carpano Antica recommended30ml
Yellow ChartreuseLiqueurThe sweeter, milder Chartreuse — don't substitute green without adjusting the amount7ml
Angostura BittersBitters1 dash
Lemon PeelGarnishCut a wide strip from a lemon, no pith1 twist

Garnish: Lemon twist

Tools

Mixing Glass · Mixing
Holds the ingredients and ice while you stir to chill and dilute the drink
At home: A large pint glass or any tall, sturdy glass
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Stirs the drink smoothly without splashing
At home: A long-handled spoon or chopstick
Jigger · Measuring
Measures the rye, vermouth, and Chartreuse accurately
At home: A tablespoon — 1 tbsp is roughly 15ml
Julep Strainer · Straining
Strains the ice out when pouring from the mixing glass
At home: A small fine-mesh sieve
Coupe Glass · Serving
Serves the drink chilled and up, no ice
At home: A small wine glass or martini glass
Vegetable Peeler · optional · Garnish
Cuts a clean, wide strip of lemon peel for the twist
At home: A small sharp knife

Steps

1
Measure 60ml rye whiskey into your jigger and pour it into the mixing glass. Follow with 30ml sweet vermouth and 7ml Yellow Chartreuse. Add 1 dash of Angostura bitters directly on top.
!Pouring the Chartreuse too heavy — even a small over-pour will take over the whole drink.
2
Fill the mixing glass about three-quarters full with ice — big cubes if you have them. The ice should sit above the liquid line so everything chills evenly as you stir.
!Using too little ice means the drink takes longer to chill and gets over-diluted.
3
Stir steadily with the bar spoon for about 25 seconds, moving the ice in smooth circles around the glass. You'll know you're done when the outside of the mixing glass feels cold to the touch and there's a light frost forming on it.
~25s
!Stirring too fast or rattling the ice — this chips the cubes and waters down the drink.
4
Hold the julep strainer over the mouth of the mixing glass, concave side facing in, and pour the drink through it into your chilled coupe. Pour slowly so the liquid flows smoothly and no ice slips through.
!Pouring too fast can splash the drink over the rim and let small ice chips through.
5
Take your lemon peel and hold it over the drink, yellow side down. Give it a firm twist so a fine mist of lemon oils sprays across the surface, then drop the peel in. You should see a thin sheen of oil on top of the drink.
!Squeezing the pith into the drink instead of just the oils — it adds a bitter, waxy taste.

Serve

Serve it right away in the chilled coupe while it's still cold and the lemon oils are sitting on top. No ice in the glass — this one drinks best neat and cold.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Rye Whiskey

Rye WhiskeyBourbon Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Rye Whiskey → Bourbon Whiskey: Sweeter and softer with less spice — the drink loses some of its edge but stays pleasant.

Swap options for Yellow Chartreuse

Yellow ChartreuseGreen Chartreuse
Match
Specialty availability
Yellow Chartreuse → Green Chartreuse: Much more assertive and herbal — use half the amount or just a rinse or it takes over the whole drink.
Yellow ChartreuseBénédictine
Match
Specialty availability
Yellow Chartreuse → Bénédictine: Sweeter and less herbal, with honey and citrus notes — the drink gets rounder but loses Chartreuse's wild edge.

Swap options for Sweet Vermouth

Sweet VermouthPunt e Mes
Match
Specialty availability
Sweet Vermouth → Punt e Mes: Adds a bitter edge that makes the drink drier and more complex — good if you like a less sweet Greenpoint.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Manhattan

The Manhattan has no Chartreuse, so it's simpler and more about the rye-vermouth conversation.

Match

They share the same rye-vermouth core, but the Greenpoint's Chartreuse adds an herbal dimension that makes it more complex and slightly sweeter on the finish.

In common: spirit-forward, stirred, served up, rye-driven, sweet vermouth backbone

Ingredients

Both share

Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters

Only in Greenpoint

Yellow Chartreuse

The Greenpoint adds Yellow Chartreuse to a standard Manhattan build, which introduces a warm, herbal sweetness that the Manhattan doesn't have.

Flavor

Shared flavors

rye spice up front, sweet vermouth richness, spirit-forward weight

How Manhattan differs

herbal mid-palate, longer spiced finish, more layered

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Red Hook

The Red Hook uses maraschino liqueur instead of Yellow Chartreuse, giving it a drier, nuttier finish.

Match

The Greenpoint feels rounder and more aromatic from the Chartreuse, while the Red Hook reads drier and more austere from the maraschino.

In common: spirit-forward, stirred, served up, Manhattan variation, rye base

Ingredients

Both share

Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth

Only in Greenpoint

Yellow Chartreuse, Angostura Bitters

Only in Red Hook

Maraschino Liqueur

Both are Manhattan riffs with a small liqueur addition, but the Greenpoint's Chartreuse is warm and herbal while the Red Hook's maraschino is dry and nutty.

Flavor

Shared flavors

rye-forward, sweet vermouth body, short and strong

How Red Hook differs

warmer and more herbal vs drier and nuttier, Chartreuse sweetness vs maraschino austerity

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Bensonhurst

The Bensonhurst adds maraschino liqueur alongside the Chartreuse, making it more complex but less focused on one herbal note.

Match

The Bensonhurst is the busier cousin — same herbal warmth but with a maraschino overlay that makes it more complex and slightly drier.

In common: spirit-forward, stirred, served up, Manhattan variation

Ingredients

Both share

Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters

Only in Greenpoint

Yellow Chartreuse

Only in Bensonhurst

Maraschino Liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse

The Bensonhurst keeps everything the Greenpoint has and adds maraschino, layering another flavor on top of the same base.

Flavor

Shared flavors

herbal Chartreuse note, rye spice, sweet vermouth weight

How Bensonhurst differs

additional nutty dryness from maraschino, more layers but less clarity

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Michael McIlroy created the Greenpoint at Sasha Petraske's Milk & Honey in New York around 2006. It's named after the Brooklyn neighborhood and is part of the family of Manhattan variations that came out of that bar scene in the mid-2000s.

Creator: Michael McIlroy at Milk & Honey
Era: 2000s
Confidence

The recipe is well-established in the cocktail community but not IBA codified. Some sources list 2 dashes of bitters instead of 1, and the Chartreuse measure varies slightly between 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz depending on the source.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Yellow Chartreuse is the one ingredient you might not have — it's worth buying for this drink alone.
Use a heavier sweet vermouth like Carpano Antica to stand up to the Chartreuse.
Stir a little longer than you think — the dilution helps the Chartreuse open up.
Batch the ratio in a bottle for parties and just stir and strain to order.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use Green Chartreuse at the same measure — it will flatten everything else.
Don't skip the lemon twist — without it the drink smells flat.
Don't use cheap vermouth that's been open for months.