CHARTREUSE - VEP Yellow - 1 Liter Bottle - 2023 Edition - 42% ABV
The Order of the Chartreuse had existed for over 500 years when, in 1605, at a Chartreuse monastery in Vauvert, a small suburb of Paris, the monks received a precious gift from Duke François Hannibal d'Estrées: an ancient manuscript revealing the recipe for an "Elixir" nicknamed the "Elixir of Long Life." This mysterious manuscript is said to be the work of a 16th-century alchemist, who mastered the art of medicinal plants and alchemy, capable of assembling, infusing, and macerating up to 130 herbs to create an exceptionally balanced tonic. The extreme complexity of the recipe meant that only certain parts were understood and used at Vauvert. In the early 18th century, the precious manuscript was sent to the Order's Mother House, La Grande Chartreuse, nestled in the mountains near Grenoble. The monastery's apothecary, Brother Jérôme Maubec, eventually unlocked the secret and, in 1737, wrote the practical preparation formula for the Elixir, finalized in 1764. In 1903, the Chartreuse distillery was nationalized by the French government and the monks were expelled. After a difficult period marked by bankruptcy in 1929, the monks recovered the Chartreuse brand, returned to their distillery established in 1860 at Fourvoirie, near the monastery, and resumed authentic production of Chartreuse liqueurs. In 1935, a landslide almost completely destroyed the Fourvoirie factory, forcing production to be transferred to Voiron, where it continues today with unchanged expertise.
The rigorous process of selecting, grinding, and blending the secret herbs, plants, and other medicinal botanicals used in making the famous liqueurs is meticulously carried out within the monastery by two dedicated monks. Once this unique blend is prepared, the ingredients are sent to the Voiron factory, where they are first macerated in carefully chosen quality alcohol, then precisely distilled. The resulting liqueurs are finally aged for several years in huge oak barrels, placed in a renowned aging cellar known for hosting one of the longest maturation processes in the world, ensuring richness and complexity of flavors.
A particularly precious selection of the liqueur is reserved for exclusive treatment. This fraction is aged even longer until the master distiller deems it perfect for bottling. It is then marketed under the name V.E.P. Chartreuse ("Exceptionally Prolonged Aging"). Each V.E.P. bottle faithfully reproduces the historical model used since 1840: individually numbered, sealed with wax, and presented in its custom wooden case, embodying the excellence and tradition of Clos des Spiritueux, an essential reference for exceptional high-end spirits.
