Moved by the Spirit

The History of Chartreuse Liqueur & the Carthusian Monks

Our client’s story begins 936 years ago.

In 1084, Roman Catholic priest and scholar Saint Bruno of Cologne founded a small community of monks in the Chartreuse Mountain region in the southeast of France. This mountain range—just west of the French Alps and situated between the cities of Grenoble, Voiron, and Chambéry—would become the namesake of the monks who lived there. The group came to be known as the Carthusian Order, “Carthusian” being a derivative of the word “chartreuse.” The newly formed Order prioritized tenets such as solitude, prayer, humility, and dedication to God.

521 years later…

By 1605, the Carthusian Order had grown considerably and had expanded to several monasteries in both France and Britain. It was at this time that Duke François-Annibal d’Estrées, a future marshal of King Henry IV, gifted the Carthusian monastery in Vauvert (near Paris) with an ancient manuscript detailing a recipe for an “Elixir of Long Life.” The recipe outlined an intricate process for creating a tonic concocted of 130 plants, flowers, barks, spices, and roots suspended in wine alcohol. However, due to the manuscript’s complexity and the monks’ limited understanding of the medicinal value of plants at the time, the recipe went largely unused.

132 years later…

In 1737, the apothecaries and alchemists at La Grande Chartreuse (the Carthusians’ mother house in the Chartreuse Mountains) were able to decode the elusive secrets of the manuscript. The result of the recipe was a naturally yellowishgreen liquid named the Elixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse that the monks began to sell in the nearby villages as a medicinal tonic. However, the cordial also happened to be delicious, combining a palette of floral flavors that were sweet, spicy, and pungent all at once. The drink soon became so popular among the locals that it was being consumed more for its taste than its medicinal properties.

103 years later…

In 1840, realizing they could sell the elixir better as a beverage than as a medicine, the monks adjusted their recipe to make milder versions of the alcoholic drink that became the liqueurs known as “Green Chartreuse” and “Yellow Chartreuse.” Soon afterwards, the Order constructed its own proper distillery so it could begin production of its liqueurs on a larger scale as the popularity of the drink began to spread internationally.

Today…

Just as they did 10 centuries ago, the Carthusian monks continue to value solitude and seclusion from the world in order to dedicate their lives to constant prayer and contemplation. However, they also maintain a strong communal life within the monastery itself and continue to produce the various Chartreuse liqueurs in order to fund their monasteries and support their charitable causes.

The liqueurs produced today are still based on the manuscript from 1605 and are enjoyed the world over. Since 1970, Chartreuse Diffusion—a French artisanal company that is also a current Barton client—has handled all of the bottling, packaging, marketing, and distribution of the beverages. Chartreuse Diffusion works to serve the Carthusian Order’s interests, preserve their sustainability, and allow them more freedom to focus on their religious duties. Having built up a brand of national renown, Chartreuse now generates a turnover of 20 million euros for a production of 1.5 million bottles per year.

However, the monks still remain the master distillers and the only ones in possession of the secret recipe and ancestral know-how. Two of the monks are designated as holders of the recipe and are responsible for the precise process of drying, crushing, and mixing the 130 herbs and botanicals necessary to make the liqueurs. After the secret mixture is created, it is sent to the Chartreuse distillery to be macerated, distilled, and aged in oak casks for many years until ready for consumption. The finished product bears Chartreuse’s signature natural green and yellow colors that help distinguish it from other spirits—so much so, that the color “chartreuse” got its name from the drink.

But it hasn’t always been an easy road.

As one of the oldest Christian religious orders in the world, the Carthusian Order is no stranger to adversity. The Order has survived almost 1,000 years of wars, political upheavals, natural disasters, and other hardships. In 1132, the Order’s first monastery was destroyed by an avalanche that also killed several monks residing there. Between 1793 and 1816, the events of the French Revolution forced all religious orders out of France, and the monks had no choice but to abandon their monastery. In 1903, the French government nationalized the Carthusians’ monastery and distillery, once again expelling the monks from their home. Two decades later, in 1935, the distillery was catastrophically destroyed in a landslide.

However, through the vicissitudes of history, the monks of the Chartreuse Order have always persisted. They have always returned, have always rebuilt, have always carried on through the ages with their mission to serve God. Their resilience is powerfully illustrated in their motto: “Stat crux dum volvitur orbis ” or “The Cross is steady while the world is turning.”

The Carthusian Order has survived, and will continue to do so, despite the trials of life. The Chartreuse company is likewise inspired by the resilience of the Order and remains committed to sustaining and advancing the production and distribution of Chartreuse liqueurs, the Order’s sole means of subsistence. The company seeks to develop its brand while promoting customer loyalty around the philosophy and value of Chartreuse liqueurs: quality, tradition, authenticity, and long-term vision. In this way, Chartreuse works to ensure the great future of one of the oldest liqueurs in the world.

How to Enjoy Chartreuse!

While Chartreuse liqueurs are often enjoyed neat or on ice, they are very popular in cocktails as well, especially in the United States. The Chartreuse-inspired cocktail called “The Last Word,” for example, has recently enjoyed new popularity in the 21st century. Originally conceived at the Detroit Athletic Club in 1925 at the height of the Prohibition Era, this drink gradually fell out of popular use.

However, in the early 2000s, a Seattle bartender re-discovered the recipe in a 1950s cocktail manual and gave the drink a second life, reviving its popularity among contemporary cocktail drinkers. Chartreuse’s aromatic complexity, color, and strength have made it an essential for bartenders and a unique addition to the world of mixology. ♦

The Last Word

3/4 ounce gin

3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice

3/4 ounce maraschino liqueur

3/4 ounce green Chartreuse

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake briskly for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.