The Spirit World

In the early days of distillation, it was common for the alcohol produced to be seen as more medicinal then it was intoxicating, or at least that’s what people often convinced themselves of. It was thus also common for the distilled spirits to be combined with a variety of botanicals which would be seen as increasing the supposed restorative properties. One of these products is Chartreuse.

As the story goes, Chartreuse started its life as a manuscript for a complex recipe simply entitled “Elixir of Long Life”. This manuscript was presented to the Charthusian monks at Vauvert in 1605, and eventually was delivered to the Grande Chartreuse monastery in Voiron. There, the manuscript was carefully studied and attempts were made at trying to decipher its complex process. Brother Jerome Maubec, who ran the apothecary at the monastery, worked carefully at attempting to recreate the original product as described in the manuscript, but the task was so complex he wasn’t able to finish before his death. He passed his efforts on to his successor, Brother Antoine.

It was Brother Antoine who finally succeeded in translating the manuscript, and in 1737 began producing Chartreuse.

This already complex saga, continues its dramatic pace as the Carthusian monks were expelled from France in 1793, to return several years later and resumed production. Only to be expelled again in 1903 by French decree, losing not only their monastery, but their distillery as well, which were confiscated by the government.

The manuscript, and the precious recipe for Chartreuse however stayed safely in the hands of the monks who took refuge in Tarragona, Spain and were soon producing Chartreuse again. During this time, the French attempted to produce their own version of the recipe, but were never able to replicate the success of the monks. Eventually this business began to fail. Some local businessmen, seeing an opportunity bought up all of the shares of this almost bankrupt business, and sent them to the outcast monks in Tarragona as a gift.

The monks, once again in possession of their monastery and distillery, began once again to product their cherished product in France, where it continues to be produced to this day.

There are several different Chartreuse products, besides the green version which is most common; there is also a yellow  which is of slightly lower proof, and not quite as intense in flavor. Chartreuse VEP is a higher end version, which has been aged in oak, and also comes in both green and yellow. These four products can be essentially used interchangeably, although there will be a noticeable difference in taste.

There are a variety of cocktails which use Chartreuse, one that I recently came across, and that I find to provide a wonderful introduction to this amazing product, is the Cloister:

Cloister 

• 1 1/2 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
• 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup

Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

While this recipe does specifically call for yellow Chartreuse, it is also excellent with green.