CHARTREUSE - Green - 2023 Edition - 55% ABV
The Order of the Chartreuse had existed for over 500 years when, in 1605, at a Chartreuse monastery in Vauvert, a peaceful suburb of Paris, the monks received a precious gift from Duke François Hannibal d'Estrées: an ancient manuscript titled "Elixir," also nicknamed "Elixir of Long Life." This manuscript was likely the work of a 16th-century alchemist, possessing deep knowledge of herbs, capable of assembling, infusing, and macerating 130 different plants to create a perfectly balanced tonic. The complexity of the recipe meant that only certain parts were understood and used at Vauvert. In the early 18th century, the precious manuscript was transferred to the Order's Mother House, the Grande Chartreuse, nestled in the mountains near Grenoble. The Monastery's Apothecary, Brother Jérôme Maubec, eventually discovered the secret, and in 1737, he wrote the practical preparation formula for the Elixir, which reached its peak in 1764. In 1903, the French government nationalized the Chartreuse distillery and forced the monks to leave. Following a bankruptcy in 1929, the monks regained ownership of the Chartreuse brand and resumed authentic production in their distillery, originally built in 1860 at Fourvoirie, near the monastery. In 1935, after a landslide nearly destroyed Fourvoirie, production was moved to Voiron, where it remains today.
The artisanal process of selecting, grinding, and blending the secret herbs, medicinal plants, and other botanicals used in the creation of the liqueurs is carried out with extreme care by only two monks within the monastery itself. Once these precious essences are assembled, the ingredients are transported to Voiron where they slowly macerate in a carefully selected high-quality alcohol before being precisely distilled. The liqueurs are then aged for several years in huge oak barrels, placed in the oldest and longest aging cellar in the world, ensuring optimal and unique refinement.
The Green Chartreuse is crafted from a subtle blend of 130 different plants, herbs, and spices, carefully macerated in exceptional grape alcohol. After distillation, it ages for several years in oak barrels, offering a bright green hue, a complex and balanced aromatic palette, as well as a remarkable alcohol strength of 55%. It embodies the excellence and tradition of an exceptional spirit, prized by connoisseurs worldwide.
