In 1605 , the Duc d'Estrées entrusted the Carthusians with a manuscript containing a mysterious recipe made up of 130 plants that could give rise to an "Elixir of long life". For more than a century and a half, the Carthusians were to develop this recipe which gave birth, thanks in particular to Brother Jérôme Maubec, to a definitive product established in 1764 called “Élixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse”. It was quickly distributed as a care product to local populations, especially during the cholera crisis of 1832. Brother Charles was the first to market it in local markets, descending on the back of a donkey from the monastery. Since 1764, the recipe for the Elixir has remained unchanged.
Tasting Notes
It is a very effective cordial, digestive and tonic:
- Pure in a teaspoon
- In an herbal tea or grog with honey and lemon
- A few drops on a piece of sugar, on a meringue
- In a cup of water in case of fatigue, discomfort or indisposition
- A few drops in a cocktail to bring a herbaceous note
