The Chartreuse
From Paris to Voiron by way of Tarragona, discover the history of the liqueur made by the Chartreuse Fathers.
For more than 400 years, the Chartreuse Fathers have supervised the production of an exceptional and mysterious plant liqueur: the Chartreuse.
At the beginning of the 17th century, 1605 to be precise, François-Annibal d'Estrées, then Marshal of France, entrusted the monks of the Chartreuse de Vauvert in Paris, with a manuscript revealing the formula of an "elixir" composed of almost all the medicinal plants of the time.
At that time, only the monks and apothecaries had the necessary knowledge to work with these plants. Judged too complex, the recipe of the elixir, then nicknamed "Elixir of long life", was the subject of an exhaustive study carried out by the apothecary of the Grande-Chartreuse, Brother Jérôme Maubec. In 1764, after numerous tests and research, he succeeded in successfully composing the formula of what would then become the Elixir Végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse. The beginnings of the Chartreuse Verte were born!
In 1789, the Revolution in France, leading the monks to disperse. From then on, in order to preserve the precious recipe, they decided to make a copy of the precious manuscript that would be kept by the only monk allowed to stay at the Monastery. As for the original, it was entrusted to another Carthusian monk who had the task of keeping it guarded with him at all times.
The latter was unfortunately arrested and sent to Bordeaux. During his imprisonment, he found a way to take the precious document out of his cell and pass it on to one of his friends. The man, convinced that the Order would never recover in France and unable to make use of the secret himself, decided to sell the recipe to a pharmacist in Grenoble. At that moment, the secret of the Chartreuse Fathers was almost betrayed. And yet, it was miraculously preserved. On the death of the pharmacist, who never used the recipe, the documents were returned to the Monastery of the Grande-Chartreuse, which the monks returned to in 1816. From then on, they adapted the formula of the Chartreuse Verte to obtain a milder and less alcoholic liqueur, the Chartreuse Jaune. The latter was quickly nicknamed "La Reine des Liqueurs".
At the dawn of the 20th century, the secret of the Chartreuse was once again threatened. Although they escaped the first wave of expulsion of unauthorised congregations in 1880, the monks of the Grande Chartreuse were expelled manu militari in 1903 in application of the law of 1st July 1901. They took refuge in Tarragona, Spain, taking their secret with them. There the monks established a distillery for the production of their liquor. They also made their liqueur in Marseille from 1921 until 1929. These are the famous "Tarragona", which have become real pieces of history!
Then sold by the French State to a group of liquorists who created the "Compagnie Fermière de la Grande Chartreuse", the brand was exploited until 1929. This company, whose production had nothing to do with the real Chartreuse, ceased its activities in 1929.
The monks then regained the use of the Chartreuse appellation and resumed distillation in France, in their former Fourvoirie distillery located in the Chartreuse Massif. These buildings were unfortunately destroyed by a landslide in 1935. The production of the Chartreuse was then transferred to Voiron, where it will remain until November 2017 before being transferred again to Entre-Deux-Guiers. Built on land already occupied by the Monks in the 17th century, this 5th distillery in the history of the Chartreuse Fathers represents a real return to the sources for liqueurs.
Today, appointed by their Order, two monks work in the greatest secrecy and are the only ones to know the details of the production of the Chartreuses. Their commercialisation allows their community to survive and to continue to pray in silence and solitude, following the inspiration of Saint Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian Order.
No other drink is so closely linked to secrecy. The different recipes for liqueurs remain a mystery. All that is known is that no less than 130 plants are used in the composition of this elixir.
To help you choose the Chartreuse to crown your festive meals, our chef sommelier, Christophe Montaud, has selected various productions for you. For cocktails or as a digestive, he will put all his expertise at the service of your taste buds in order ensuring you a flavored end of the year.
Excellent holiday season and good tasting!
Discover the selection of our chef sommelier:
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Jaune - Bottle of 70 cl & Jeroboam of 3L
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Verte - Bottle of 70 cl & Jeroboam of 3L
Pères Chartreux - Liqueur du 9e Centenaire - 2019 - Bottle of 70 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - VEP Verte - 2019 - Bottle of 1L
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - VEP Verte - 2020 - Bottle of 1L
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - MOF (Meilleurs Ouvriers de France) - 2020 - Jeroboam of 3L
Pères Chartreux - Liqueur du 9e Centenaire - 2018 - Jeroboam of 3L
Pères Chartreux - Liqueur du 9e Centenaire - 2020 - Jeroboam of 3L
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Jaune - Santa Tecla - 2004 - Bottle of 70 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Verte - Fabiola - Period 1966/1982 - Bottle of 38 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Verte - Period 1973/1985 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - Period 1973/1985 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - Period 1982/1989 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - Seisenta - Period 1960/1965 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - Fabiola - Period 1972/1982 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - Period 1972/1982 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Verte - Fabiola - Period 1966/1982 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Verte - Period 1966/1982 - Bottle of 75 cl
Pères Chartreux - Chartreuse - Tarragone - Jaune - El Licor Cumbre - Period 1951/1959 - Bottle of 50 cl
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