Elixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse - Les Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse

Manufactured by the Carthusian fathers since 1737 according to instructions of the manuscript that gave them the Marshal d ' Estrées in 1605, The Elixir plant contains 0 medicinal and aromatic plants. It is a digestive and a very effective tonic.

Presentation of the elixir of Chartreuse : in a bottle of cl protected from light by a wood case, which ensures a perfect conservation.

Use of the elixir of Chartreuse : a few drops on a lump of sugarin a little water sweet, infusion or grog.

All these chartreuse liqueurs based on the recipe of a grimoire of the 16th or 17th century have been developed by The Carthusian fathers; their marketing helps their community to survive and continue to pray in silence and the loneliness, according to the inspiration of Saint Bruno.

History of the elixir of chartreuse:

In 1605, the Marshal d ' Estrées back to the monks of the Chartreuse of Vauvert, in Paris, a manuscript showing the formula of an Elixir of long life, and no one knows the origin.

At this time, in fact, only monks and apothecaries have the knowledge necessary to the work of plants.

16, the Cardinal de Richelieu thanks with heat the Reverend Father of the Chartreuse of Paris; He had sent him a bezoar having relieved the "unfortunate illness". (bezoar: stone found in the digestive system of some animals, which were attributed medicinal properties).

Too complex, the Elixir recipe seems to have been only partially used for several decades in Paris.

In 1737, the monastery of the great Chartreuse (near the city of Grenoble) decided to make a comprehensive study.

The apothecary of the large-Chartreuse, brother Jérôme Maubec, is responsible for this task. He manages to permanently fix the formula of the Elixir plant of the great Chartreuse.

His marketing is so very limited: it's brother Charles, who, on mules, will sell on the markets of Grenoble and Chambery.

Always manufactured according to the same indications, this "Elixir of long life" is known today under the name of "Elixir plant of la Grande-Chartreuse". He title 69 °.

The Chartreuse green, 54 ° so-called "Liquor of health", is developed in 1764. His success is immediate, but limited to the Dauphiné region.

The French Revolution of 1789 disperse the monks. In 1793, to be safe, we do run a copy of the precious manuscript that guard the only religious allowed to stay at the monastery, another father always keeping him on the original.

Arrested and sent to Bordeaux, he finds a way to get out of his cell to another monk document refuge near the monastery.

Cannot make use of the secret and thinking that The order of Carthusians would never recovered, he concedes a copy to a pharmacist in Grenoble, Mr LIOTARD.

In 18, the Emperor Napoleon I, deciding that the "secret remedies" must be submitted to the Minister of the Interior to be considered to be operated by the State, Mr LIOTARD address the manuscript to the Department; the return with the word "Declined".

The death of Mr Liotard, documents back to the monastery of the great Chartreuse monks have returned in 1816.

In 1838, the formula is adapted to produce a softer and less alcoholic liquor the Chartreuse yellow, 40 °.

In 1903, the Carthusians were expelled from France. They carry their secret and established a distillery in TARRAGONA in Spain for the production of the liquor. Liquor that they will manufacture also in Marseille and the 1921 until 1929, under the name of "Tarragona".

During this same period, the french State sells their brand to a group of top who create the Company owner of the Grande Chartreuse. The company, whose production has nothing to do with the real Chartreuse, ceased operations in 1929.

The monks then found the use of the term CHARTREUSE; they resume the distillation in France, in their old distillery of monks built in 1860, near the monastery of Grande Chartreuse.

These buildings are destroyed in 1935 by a landslide. Manufacturing is then transferred in VOIRON, where it is still carried out, after the selection of plants work inside of the monastery.

It's the CHARTREUSE broadcast company which, since 1970, has been responsible packaging, advertising and sale of products made by two Carthusian.

Invested in this mission by their order, they work in secrecy and are only to know the details of the production. Today as yesterday, the formula is a mystery that modern methods of investigation were able to break through.