Chartreuse Verte (Green Chartreuse) Liqueur

Product of: France

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The original liqueur formulated by Brother Antoine from the 'elixir' (Chartreuse Elixir Végétal). Green Chartreuse is flavoured with extracts from 132 botanicals with its distinctive colour coming from the chlorophyll in these plants.

Chartreuse is owned and made by the Carthusian Order of monks founded by Bruno of Cologne (later to become St. Bruno) in 1084 after giving up an affluent life in Reims, France.

In 1605 the French Artillery Marshall to the King, Hannibal d'Estrees presented to the Carthusians a manuscript containing the formula for an "Elixir of Long Life". In 1737, Brother Jerome Maubec succeeded in manufacturing what is still called "The Herbal Elixir of the Grandé Chartreuse". Two decades later, Green Chartreuse was created by Brother Antoine and is still made to his recipe today.

As Chartreuse's popularity grew, production was moved from the monastery at La Grande Chartreuse to the Fourvoirie Distillery, which was unfortunately destroyed by a landslide in 1935. Since then Chartreuse has been manufactured in Voiron in France at a facility that boasts the longest liqueur cellar in the world. Some of the barrels here are over 100 years old, being salvaged from the original distillery at Fourvoirie.

Only two monks are privy to the secret recipe and they oversee a team of technicians responsible for production. The two brothers are solely responsible for ordering and blending the 130 natural botanicals at the monastery. Bags containing the blends are sent down the maintain to the technicians in the distillery.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 06/06/2024

Appearance:

Clear, light jade green.

Aroma:

Pungent, complex herbal notes with angelica, pine, lime cordial/lime marmalade, peppermint, tonka bean, anis and cocoa.

Taste:

It's powerful in every respect, with herbaceous mint, aniseed, vegetal notes, lemon zest, pine and tobacco.

Aftertaste:

Peppermint and aniseed with ginger and cracked black pepper heat.

Overall:

For those who are not worthy, Green Chartreuse is too full-on in every respect, with its alcohol dialled up to 110 proof and its herbal flavours off-the-scale. But for those who appreciate a delicious liqueur that was once peddled as a cure-all, Chartreuse Verte is truly the elixir of life.