Centre Stage | The story behind the ‘Elixir of Long Life’ - Chartreuse

The Cross is Steady While The Earth is Turning

FROM THE FRENCH MOUNTAIN RANGE OF CHARTREUSE COMES AN ELIXIR COURTESY OF THE CARTHUSIAN ORDER OF MONKS; A LIQUEUR THAT HAS CHANGED LITTLE SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1764 WHEN IT EARNED THE NAME: ‘ELIXIR OF LONG LIFE’. TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAMED LIQUEUR WE NEED WITH CHRISTOPHE LEVET, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHARTREUSE DIFFUSION.

Words Ashley Pini & Jeremy Spencer

‘The elixir of long life’ dates-back to 1605 when a manuscript was offered as a gift to the monks of the Carthusian Monastery, an order of the Catholic religion in Paris. As it is today, the recipe was one of the most complex seen and was not fully understood or utilised until much later when the apothecary, Friar Jerome Maubec, finally unravelled the mysterious potions’ secrets to create Chartreuse Elixir in 1737. Using wine-based alcohol, the order of monks commenced a lengthy study to uncover the true taste of ‘liqueur of health’.

“Chartreuse was originally regarded initially as a pretty strong tonic. The first examples were 71% abv, but as this grew in popularity, a softer version was offered at 55% abv, that was the Green Chartreuse”, explains Levet.

The famous ‘medicinal tonic’ made by Carthusian monks has been immortalized in literature and popular culture. In Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Death Proof’ the bar owner Warren (Quentin Tarantino) serves a green liqueur. After being asked what was just served, Warren says, “Chartreuse, the only liqueur so good they named a colour after it.”

Since then the fortunes of Chartreuse have seesawed dramatically.

The French revolution in 1789 and its banishment of all things religion was a major turning point, as the original keepers of the secretive recipe of over 130 ingredients were driven from their homelands and struggled to keep a record safe. It was not until 1838 when the monks developed a sweeter and milder (40% abv) version of Chartreuse flavoured with honey and saffron - known as Yellow Chartreuse - that it began its resurgence. Even the pharmacists of Emperor Napoleon, who ordered a collection of all medicinal recipes in 1810 were unable to reconfigure the manuscript. More trials and tribulations continued as avalanches, French Nationalism and corporate receivership threatened to derail one of the world’s most traditional tipples.

The colouring, completely natural, comes from Chlorophyll for the Green, and Saffron for the Yellow versions - during the distillation process, honey and sugars are added. Once the liquid has been created it is then rested in oak and placed into the famous cellars of Voiron, the longest in the world, for an untold maturation period. The product is then bottled, packaged and sent around the world to a growing number of bars, hotels, cocktail dens, dives and bottle stores by the Chartreuse Diffusion, who also assist with several other products such as the barrel aged Chartreuse VEP, Vertical Vodka and Vegetal Elixir.

The business now produces and sells around 1 million liters a year. It’s a business that has been very carefully managed and positioned to be healthy for the long-term.

‘People always think that we are much bigger, but we are not huge. There are only 70 in our team globally, and we work with a turnover of just 20 million euro.’

‘We are pleased like that. The monks do not ask for dividends. They know that a business like this requires long-term investment. That why we have been able to invest in a beautiful new distillery, which cost us 10 million Euro. Plus we are investing another 9 million Euro in the bottling line and shipment logistics,’ said Levet.

Investing 95% of your annual turnover back into infrastructure is not easy for most businesses, but the Chartreuse shareholders are not looking for a normal return on investment.

‘It’s not like normal public businesses. Why is it possible? Because all the profits at the end of the year go back into the reserves. We never talk about financial ratios and performance with the monks; they are shareholders that care only about the quality of the product and that they represented in the right way’.

After all this, the last word on the such a magical spirit must go the monks and creators of Chartreuse who stated as part of their mantra’ stat crux dum volvitur orbis’ which when translated from Latin means ‘the cross is steady while the earth is turning’ - a reinforcement of their ideals of consistency through the ages.