Yellow Parrot Cocktail ｜ Easy 3-Ingredient Absinthe Classic

Yellow Parrot cocktail, a bright yellow drink in a tall-stemmed coupe glass garnished with a lemon peel twist on a bar counter

The Yellow Parrot cocktail is, true to its name, as bright as a parrot’s feathers, yet that cheerful yellow carries the strength of one of the boldest classics behind the bar.

Equal parts apricot brandy, yellow Chartreuse and absinthe are shaken until ice-cold, so the apricot’s sweetness arrives first, then absinthe’s anise and Chartreuse’s honeyed herbs unfold into a rich, lingering finish where sweet and bitter meet.

Printed in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and built from just three bottles, it’s a classic well worth shaking up tonight.

Table of Contents

Recipe & How to Make It

Ingredients

Rows of spirit bottles lining a bar's back shelves, illuminated by warm pendant lighting above a wooden counter

Recipe no.187

Apricot brandy — 2/3 oz (20ml)
Yellow Chartreuse — 2/3 oz (20ml)
Absinthe — 2/3 oz (20ml)

How to Make It

A bartender in a burgundy vest shaking a cocktail shaker over her shoulder in a dimly lit bar

Step

Prepare

Chill the glass in advance, or fill it with ice and discard the ice and water just before pouring.
Chill the shaker the same way: add ice, stir well, and pour out the water. (Keep the ice in the shaker.)

Step

Combine the Ingredients

Add the apricot brandy, yellow Chartreuse, absinthe and ice to the shaker.

Step

Shake

Shake firmly, then strain into the glass, and it’s ready.

How to Use a Shaker

・Technique ｜ Shake
・Glass ｜ Cocktail Glass
・ABV ｜ About 41%–42%
・Best Enjoyed ｜ Daytime / Nightcap

Yellow Parrot Characteristics, Recommendations & Video

Origin & Characteristics

A yellow-green budgerigar, a small parrot, perched on a branch in front of a wooden nest box — Photo ｜ A Yellow Budgie, a Small Parrot

The Yellow Parrot is a classic of equal parts apricot brandy, yellow Chartreuse and absinthe, already in print by the early 1920s and later in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Its name comes from its bright yellow color, and one playful story says its strength makes you chatter like a parrot.

Apricot’s sweetness comes first, then absinthe’s anise and Chartreuse’s honeyed herbs fill the palate. Sweet and bitter balance into a rich, long finish.

It’s strong, so I’d serve it ice-cold and sip it slowly.

Tips, Twists & Food Pairings

Slice of apricot tart with a golden crust and baked apricot halves, a food pairing for the Yellow Parrot cocktail — Photo ｜ Apricot tart

Tips

Common mistake: using green Chartreuse — Green Chartreuse is stronger and more intensely herbal, which turns the drink sharper and dims its bright yellow color. Reach for yellow Chartreuse, whose honeyed sweetness rounds out the absinthe.
Shake a little longer — Built entirely from strong spirits and liqueurs, this drink needs dilution to open up. I’d shake for about 15 seconds, until the shaker is frosty, so the flavors soften and blend.
Choose your anise strength — Absinthe brings a bold, high-proof anise kick. For a gentler sip, use a lower-proof absinthe or a French pastis, which many bars turned to while absinthe was banned.

Twists

Pastis Parrot — Swap the absinthe for pastis. Its softer, sweeter anise lets the apricot and Chartreuse come forward, making a smoother, more approachable Yellow Parrot.
Yellow Parrot Highball — Pour the shaken drink over ice in a tall glass and top with chilled soda. The bubbles lighten its strength while keeping the bright yellow color and herbal aroma.

Food Pairings

Apricot tart — The tart’s jammy apricot mirrors the apricot brandy, while the drink’s herbal bitterness keeps the buttery pastry from feeling heavy.
Blue cheese with honey — The salty, tangy cheese meets Chartreuse’s honey notes, and the anise adds a bold contrast, much like a classic cheese-and-honey board.
Dried apricots and almonds — Dried apricots echo the drink’s fruit, while toasty almonds soften the strong spirits for an easy after-dinner nibble.