Swollen Gland

About the Swollen Gland

Built on Timber Creek Florida Gin, the Swollen Gland is a shaken, fine strained cocktail that adds Peychaud’s bitters, a cucumber ribbon, orange juice, and Yellow Chartreuse to the mix, finished with an absinthe rinse and served in a chilled coupe. Its unusual name aside, it drinks as a bright, herbal, citrus forward cocktail. Cucumber and orange juice bring a cool, fresh quality up front, while Yellow Chartreuse layers in honeyed herbal sweetness that is gentler than its green counterpart, and Peychaud’s bitters add a touch of anise and floral spice.

The absinthe rinse, coating the glass rather than mixed in, provides a final aromatic note on the nose. Timber Creek’s Florida Gin, distilled grain-to-glass in Crestview, offers a clean, botanical backbone sturdy enough to carry the cucumber and citrus without turning watery, which is essential in a drink with this many competing elements. To build it, shake the gin, orange juice, Yellow Chartreuse, and Peychaud’s bitters hard with ice, then fine strain into an absinthe rinsed, chilled coupe.

Garnish with a cucumber ribbon draped along the rim or floated on the surface for visual and aromatic effect. Its fresh, slightly savory profile pairs well with roasted duck, blue cheese, and walnuts, and it also holds up surprisingly well next to dark chocolate or a mushroom tart for a more adventurous pairing. Cut the cucumber ribbon thin and wide with a vegetable peeler rather than a knife, since a thin, pliable ribbon curls attractively around the rim or floats on the surface, while a thick chunk tends to sink and just sits at the bottom of the glass.

It also benefits from very fresh orange juice rather than a bottled substitute, since the drink’s other components are already fairly delicate and a stale, overly sweet juice will flatten the cucumber and Chartreuse notes it is meant to complement. As with any spirit forward cocktail, enjoy the Swollen Gland in moderation and pace your drinking across the evening.

Built on Timber Creek Florida Gin, the Swollen Gland is a shaken, fine strained cocktail that adds Peychaud’s bitters, a cucumber ribbon, orange juice, and Yellow Chartreuse to the mix, finished with an absinthe rinse and served in a chilled coupe. Its unusual name aside, it drinks as a bright, herbal, citrus forward cocktail. Cucumber and orange juice bring a cool, fresh quality up front, while Yellow Chartreuse layers in honeyed herbal sweetness that is gentler than its green counterpart, and Peychaud’s bitters add a touch of anise and floral spice.

The absinthe rinse, coating the glass rather than mixed in, provides a final aromatic note on the nose. Timber Creek’s Florida Gin, distilled grain-to-glass in Crestview, offers a clean, botanical backbone sturdy enough to carry the cucumber and citrus without turning watery, which is essential in a drink with this many competing elements. To build it, shake the gin, orange juice, Yellow Chartreuse, and Peychaud’s bitters hard with ice, then fine strain into an absinthe rinsed, chilled coupe.

Garnish with a cucumber ribbon draped along the rim or floated on the surface for visual and aromatic effect. Its fresh, slightly savory profile pairs well with roasted duck, blue cheese, and walnuts, and it also holds up surprisingly well next to dark chocolate or a mushroom tart for a more adventurous pairing. Cut the cucumber ribbon thin and wide with a vegetable peeler rather than a knife, since a thin, pliable ribbon curls attractively around the rim or floats on the surface, while a thick chunk tends to sink and just sits at the bottom of the glass.

It also benefits from very fresh orange juice rather than a bottled substitute, since the drink’s other components are already fairly delicate and a stale, overly sweet juice will flatten the cucumber and Chartreuse notes it is meant to complement. As with any spirit forward cocktail, enjoy the Swollen Gland in moderation and pace your drinking across the evening.