Chartreuse

The history of Chartreuse dates back to the seventh century— 1605, to be precise. That year, the Maréchal d’Estrées arrived in Paris. He brought back a manuscript containing the formula for the elixir of life from his travels. The abbot of the Grande-Chartreuse monastery chose to purchase the work. As early as 1764, the Élixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse was released, followed several years later, in 1840, by both green and yellow Chartreuse liqueurs. This marked the dawn of a new era. After this point, the Order of Carthusians, the sole proprietor of the original formula, started producing Chartreuse. Still today, in Voiron, the birthplace of the liqueur, only two monasteries are allowed to produce it. The process begins with the creation of the blend of 130 herbs and spices that is needed to craft, over a period of three weeks, the distillates, macerates, and cold infusions that make up the liqueur. Next, specific blends are mixed with water purified by reverse osmosis and sugarcane and then distilled. Finally, the liqueur is aged in cellars in two different climates and in wooden vats of varying sizes until its aromatic complexities intensify and the alcohol levels out.