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Chartreuse is a herbal liqueur, the recipe of which has been guarded by the monks of the Carthusian order for more than 4 centuries. And while the holy brothers are not going to share the secrets of the production of world-famous alcohol. The strength of the drink varies from 40 to 72 degrees, and the composition includes more than 130 herbs, roots, spices, flowers and seeds.
Taste
Thanks to a rich palette of a wide variety of herbs, Chartreuse liqueur is simultaneously sweet, burning and spicy. Many tasters note a frankly “medicinal” bouquet, but after a few sips the drink begins to play with nuances, giving a deep aftertaste and unexpected notes. In addition, the taste directly depends on the serving temperature: cold Chartreuse opens up better, and vegetable aromas are felt more fully, while warm Chartreuse is too fragrant.
History
The liquor was named after the “parent” monastery – Grande Chartreuse, and the holy monastery, in turn, took the name from the mountain range in the French region of Grenoble.
Legend has it that in 1605, General Francois d’Estre gave the monks an alchemical recipe for the “elixir of longevity”, but either the manuscript was damaged, or the instructions turned out to be too difficult to follow, or the author-alchemist encrypted the message in cryptography – in any case, immediately create the miraculous potion did not work. It took more than a hundred years to use the recipe. Only in 1737, the monastery pharmacist Jérôme Maubec managed to produce the first portion of the drink. Then the fortress of Chartreuse reached 72 degrees, it was an exclusively medicinal drug used for medical purposes.
A quarter of a century later, the monks and residents of the surrounding settlements realized that the drink was good in itself, and began to use it as a digestif (dessert alcohol after a meal) – this is how the Green Chartreuse appeared in 1764.
The history of the liqueur is full of truly detective adventures: at the end of the XNUMXth century, during the French Revolution, the Carthusians were forced to leave the walls of the monastery, but they took the recipe with them. At some point, the carefully guarded secret of liquor production ended up in the hands of Napoleon I, but the emperor was not interested in the drink, so the instructions were given back to the Carthusians.
In 1816, the holy brothers returned to their monastery and continued to produce liquor, but already in 1903 they again went into exile. The monks moved to Spain, where they resumed the production of the drink, only under a new name – Tarragona. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the French government wanted to get the coveted recipe, as it retained the right to the name “Chartreuse”, but the alcoholic drink produced under this name did not come close to the products of the order, so the brand was rapidly losing popularity.
The authorities had no choice but to make peace with the keepers of the secret. In 1921, the monks returned to France, eventually settled in the city of Voiron and resumed the production of liquor, and Tarragona was discontinued in 1989.
Since then, real Chartreuse has been produced only in Voiron, and although this name has not been patented anywhere and does not have official DOC status, the full composition of the drink has not yet been unraveled, and the original recipe is the exclusive and unconditional property of the Order. Since 1970, the Chartreuse Diffusion society has been responsible for the production of liquor, which includes all the same Carthusian monks.
Healing properties
Do not forget that Chartreuse liqueur was originally positioned as an elixir of eternal health, a cure for all diseases. The drink really helps to cope with many ailments, here are just a few of them:
- diseases of the liver and biliary tract;
- problems of the digestive tract;
- slow metabolism;
- prostration;
- reduced immunity;
- headache;
- viral diseases, colds.
Chartreuse production technology
The monks do not make a secret of the production technology: they conduct tours of the cellars and the factory, they are happy to show what stages the future liquor goes through.
It is known for certain that all the ingredients are soaked in the highest quality wine spirit, and Chartreuse is obtained as a result of maceration – cold infusion of strong alcohol on plant components. Then honey and sugar syrup are added to the drink, and the resulting billet is aged in oak barrels.
According to legend, when one of the monks was asked what is in the composition of the drink, he answered: “Hamburger and goat cheese.”
After bottling, Chartreuse does not deteriorate, but ages nobly and only gets better with time.
Types of Chartreuse liqueur
- Green. Fortress 55 degrees, produced since 1764.
- Yellow. Fortress 40 degrees, produced since 1838. The softer, yellow color is due to saffron.
- White. Produced from 1860 to 1900, it had a fortress first of 43, and then 37 degrees.
- Grand Chartreuse Herbal Elixir is currently the closest variation to the original recipe. The fortress is 69 degrees, rarely used in its pure form, more often it is part of cocktails, used as a base for grog or used for medical purposes.
Green and yellow Chartreuse (the first two types) can be subjected to particularly long aging in oak barrels (10 years), after which they acquire the VEP label and a strength of 54 and 42 degrees.
Special editions (limited edition). In honor of the 900th anniversary of the monastery in 1984, a special 47-degree green Chartreuse liqueur was released. This variation is slightly weaker and slightly sweeter than the classic version.
In 2005, a jubilee liqueur was produced in honor of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the recipe. This species had a strength of 56 degrees and was especially close in characteristics to the first elixir.
How to drink Chartreuse
Most often, Chartreuse is served in glasses or small glasses and put on the table after a meal. It is right to drink liquor in slow sips in its pure form, with ice or as part of cocktails. The drink is served both chilled to 10-15°C and at room temperature.
Chartreuse does not have to be a snack, but if without food it seems too strong, you can put fruit or dessert on the table.
Cocktails with Chartreuse
Both green and yellow variations are included in many cocktails. Most popular recipes:
- Green warmth. Dissolve a teaspoon of green liqueur in a cup of hot chocolate. Drinking in winter is best in ski resorts.
- Episcopal. Mix yellow chartreuse with green in a ratio of 2: 1.
- Shuttle. Mix equal parts yellow liquor and whiskey.
Sommeliers and gourmets recommend pairing yellow liquor with scotch or bourbon, and green liquor with gin and tequila.