Name: Colleen Bawn
Total time: 2 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 1 fresh Egg (white and yolk); 22.5 ml Rye whiskey 50% abv; 22.5 ml Chartreuse Yellow; 22.5 ml Bénédictine D.O.M.; 5 ml Sugar syrup 'rich' (2:1)

Ingredients

1 fresh

Egg (white & yolk)

³⁄₄ fl oz

Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)

³⁄₄ fl oz

Yellow Chartreuse (or génépy liqueur)

³⁄₄ fl oz

Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur

¹⁄₆ fl oz

Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water) 65.0°Brix

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.

Prepare garnish of grated cinnamon and nutmeg.

Method

BEAT egg and pour into shaker.

Add other ingredients, SHAKE with ice and strain back into shaker.

DRY SHAKE (without ice) to emulsify.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

Dust with freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon.

Health & Nutrition

Alcohol content:

We don't have enough information to calculate the alc./vol., but based on known ingredients, this recipe contains at least:

23.6 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Egg (white & yolk) — Eggs

History

Colleen Bawn is an anglicization of the Gaelic 'cailín bán', meaning girl or young woman. The Colleen Bawn (or The Brides of Garryowen) is also the title of a melodramatic play written by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault and first performed on 27th March 1860 at Miss Laura Keene's Theatre, New York City.

The first recipe for the Colleen Bawn cocktail appears in print in Frederick and Seymour Davies' 1896 book Drinks of All Kinds For All Seasons and is repeated, almost verbatim, in Edward Spencer's 1903 The Flowing Bowl.

Colleen Bawn
Put into a small tumbler one egg well beaten, with a teaspoon of icing sugar, one-third of a wineglass of yellow chartreuse, one-third of a wineglass of benedictine, one-third of a wineglass of old rye whisky ; shake well, strain, add dust with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pink sugar.

Frederick and Seymour Davies, Drinks of All Kinds For All Seasons, 1896

Colleen Bawn
Small tumbler, one egg beaten, with a teaspoonful of sugar, one-third of a wineglass of yellow chartreuse, and like quantities respectively of benedictine and rye whisky ; shake well, strain, add dust with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pink sugar.

Edward Spencer, The Flowing Bowl, 1903

Comments & Discussion

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G. M. Genovese Premium Member 36w

Made this with Willett 4-year rye, Strega, and Drambuie. The latter is most prominent up front, but the Strega surges in the finish. By the second sip, I was game. I agree the extra syrup may be superfluous, but its presence dies off as you go. Strange how the rye is merely a supporting player. Might edge that ahead next time.

Justin Aniello 1y

Basically chartreuse flavored eggnog, absolutely delicious. I found the simple syrup to be fine, but I also wasn't looking for a dry drink.

james I 1y

Was wondering what pink sugar was in the original recipe, something like Himalayan salt or just sugar that’s been treated with food coloring.

james I 1y

The AI god claims it’s a perfume but surely that didn’t exist in 1896 and why would you want to smell like cotton candy anyway

Matt Excell 1y

Agree with Michelle below - no need for the syrup, sweet enough with liqueurs only

Ulysses Grand 2y

Excellent and unusual Flip. One that would be a good accompaniment to a nod by the tree on Christmas Eve.

An interesting historical note: this drink was created the year after the only other (classic) drink I know that contains both Chartreuse and Benedictine: the Widow's Kiss. Can't help but wonder if it was inspired by the recent creation of that most "evocative" concoction.

Stephen Curtin 2y

Dear Simon, and/or team. I thought you might like to know that this recipe appears in print earlier than 1903. It's on page 40 of the 1896 book "Drinks of all kinds" by Frederick Davies and Seymour Davies.