The Love and Murder cocktail is not a beginner drink. It is a bold, neon green and ruby red mix of Green Chartreuse, Campari and fresh lime that hits like a cross between a last-word style sour and a bitter spritz, just without the bubbles. It is strong, herbal, bitter and bright all at once, which is exactly why guests who like adventurous cocktails come back for a second round.
We first added a Love and Murder style drink to a Halloween private party menu when the host asked for something that looked dramatic in the glass but still sipped like a proper cocktail. We batched the base in bottles, shook each drink to order with lime and a touch of simple syrup, then finished with a saline dropper. The salt softens the edges and brings the Chartreuse herbs and Campari citrus to the front instead of just letting the bitterness scream.
How to Make a Love and Murder Cocktail
- Chill the glass. Place a coupe or Nick and Nora glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes, or fill it with ice and water while you build the drink so the glass is well chilled.
- Add the ingredients to a shaker. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Green Chartreuse, Campari, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and saline solution.
- Shake hard with ice. Fill the shaker with ice. Seal and shake vigorously for about 12 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and frosty.
- Double strain into a chilled glass. Discard the ice from the serving glass if you used it to chill. Double strain the cocktail through a fine mesh strainer into the chilled coupe to catch any ice shards and citrus pulp.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim or a lime twist expressed over the surface of the drink. Serve immediately while very cold.
Bartender notes
- This drink is strong. Green Chartreuse and Campari are both high proof, so one Love and Murder is usually enough for most guests before they switch to something lighter.
- Saline solution is more precise than shaking with a pinch of salt. Mix 5 parts water to 1 part kosher salt and store it in a dropper bottle in the fridge for consistent seasoning.
- If you are batching for service, pre mix the spirits, lime and simple syrup in a bottle, then shake each portion with ice and saline to order to keep the texture and dilution on point.
Love and Murder Variations
- Slightly sweeter Love and Murder. If you prefer less bitterness, increase the simple syrup to 1 ounce or reduce the Campari to 3/4 ounce. This keeps the structure but smooths the edges.
- Love and Murder on the rocks. Build and shake the drink as directed, then strain it over a large clear ice cube in a rocks glass instead of serving it up. This softens the cocktail as the cube melts.
- Grapefruit twist. Swap half of the lime juice for fresh grapefruit juice and garnish with a grapefruit peel for a slightly softer, more citrus forward version.
- Lower proof Love and Murder. Reduce the Green Chartreuse to 3/4 ounce and add 1/4 ounce of still water to the shaker. You keep the flavor profile while easing the alcohol content slightly.
Serving Suggestions
Love and Murder is the kind of cocktail we like to feature as a signature welcome drink at themed parties, murder mystery nights and Halloween events. It stands on its own as a conversation starter, so we usually keep food pairings simple. Think salty snacks like marcona almonds, olives, cheese boards and charcuterie to match the herbal and bitter notes.
If you are planning a full bar for a party, combine this with a lighter sparkling option and a non alcoholic punch so guests can rotate between different styles. For more ideas, browse our cocktail recipes collection and seasonal guides like our Christmas cocktail recipes.
Make Ahead and Batching
- For home service, it is best to mix Love and Murder one drink at a time so the citrus stays fresh and the dilution is correct.
- For events, you can batch the spirits, lime and simple syrup in a labeled bottle and keep it chilled. Shake 3 ounces of the batch with ice and saline per cocktail.
- Always add saline and ice while shaking instead of to the batch so you can adjust the salt level and dilution for your crowd.
Nutrition Information
Approximate values per cocktail. This is a high alcohol, low sugar cocktail compared to many dessert style drinks.
- Calories: 210
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 20 mg
More Bold, Spirit Forward Cocktails
Planning a signature cocktail for your event and not sure how much liquor and mixers to buy. Start with our Alcohol Shopping List Calculator to estimate bottles by guest count, then visit our bartender booking page if you would like our team to design the menu, batch signature cocktails and handle bar service for you.
Love and Murder Cocktail FAQs
What are the ingredients in a Love and Murder cocktail?
A classic Love and Murder cocktail is made with Green Chartreuse, Campari, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and a few drops of saline solution for balance. It is shaken with ice and served up in a chilled coupe with a lime garnish.
What does the Love and Murder cocktail taste like?
Love and Murder is intense, herbal and bitter with a bright citrus backbone. The Green Chartreuse brings deep herbal and spice notes, the Campari contributes bitterness and orange, the lime adds acidity and the simple syrup and saline round everything out so the drink is strong but still balanced.
Is Love and Murder a strong cocktail?
Yes. This is a spirit forward cocktail made entirely from liqueurs and fresh juice with no soda or low proof mixers. Green Chartreuse is a high proof liqueur and Campari is also alcoholic, so the drink is closer in strength to a Negroni or Last Word than to a spritz.
Can I make a Love and Murder cocktail less bitter?
To make a softer version, you can add a little more simple syrup, reduce the Campari slightly, or serve the drink over a large ice cube so slower dilution mellows the bitterness. Fresh citrus garnish also helps your nose pick up more bright notes instead of only the bitter finish.
What can I use instead of Green Chartreuse in Love and Murder?
Green Chartreuse has a very unique flavor, so there is no perfect substitute, but a similar herbal liqueur like Dolin Genepy or another alpine style herbal spirit can get you in the same family. If you make this swap, taste and adjust lime and simple syrup to keep the cocktail balanced.
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