Chartreuse

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Chartreuse is a famous French liqueur and also a yellowish shade of green which is the color of that liqueur.

In 1605, the recipe for Chartreuse (which is still a highly guarded secret) was given to the Carthusian monks of the monastery at Vauvert near Paris by the Maréchal François Hannibal d'Estrées in the form of an ancient manuscript. The complex recipe was deciphered only in 1737 by the apothecary monk of the Grande Chartreuse Monastery at Voiron near Grenoble. The monks perfected the formula which called for 130 herbs, flowers, and secret ingredients combined with a brandy base. They intended their liqueur to be used as medicine, it has 71% (vol.) alcohol (142° proof) and is colored with chlorophyll. It is sold today under the name Elixir Végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse.

The beverage became popular quickly, and in 1764, the monks adapted the recipe and produced a somewhat less potent variation that is also green, but has "only" 55% (vol.) alcohol (110° proof) and is sold today as Green Chartreuse.

In 1793, the monks were expelled from France, resulting in the interruption of the manufacture of Chartreuse. Several years later they were allowed to return to their monastery, only to be expelled again in 1903. Finding refuge in Tarragona, Spain, they began producing Chartreuse under a different name. Because the French government had confiscated most of the possessions of the Order, including the trademark Chartreuse, the monks began inscribing the labels on the bottles Liquor fabriquée á Tarragone par les Pères Chartreux.

In 1838, the monks developed a sweeter variation that has 40% (vol.) alcohol (80° proof), colored with saffron and sold as Yellow Chartreuse.

In 1938, the monks were allowed to return to their old monastery in Voiron and resumed production of Chartreuse under the original name.

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