The Origins of Chartreuse
The history of Chartreuse begins in 1605, when the prior of the Chartreuse de Vauvert in Paris was entrusted by François Annibal d'Estrées, an officer of the king, with the responsibility of deciphering a manuscript containing the recipe for an elixir of long life.
It was only in 1764, after years of work, that Brother Jérôme Maubec, an apothecary of the Carthusian Order, succeeded in refining the formula that led to the production of the Elixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse. The monastery’s pharmacy began selling it for medicinal purposes, but only in the surrounding area.
In 1840, the green Chartreuse, nicknamed the “health liqueur,” was created from the recipe of the vegetable elixir. The recipe for Chartreuse Jaune was developed that same year by Brother Bruno Jacquet, using the same blend of plants mentioned in the manuscript. On November 20, 1854, Dom Louis Garnier registered the brand for the first time. From that point on, the bottles would bear the inscription "Liqueur fabriquée à la Grande Chartreuse" as well as the signature of Dom Louis Garnier to authenticate them and prevent counterfeiting.
The History of the Distilleries
By 1864, due to the gradual increase in sales, the monastery became too small for the production and storage of green and yellow Chartreuse. A new distillery was then built at Fourvoirie, in the commune of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont. In 1903, the monastery was closed and the Carthusians were expelled from France. Some monks relocated to Spain and set up a distillery in Tarragona to resume production in 1904. Cusenier, a liquorist from the Compagnie Fermière, attempted to resume the marketing of the products in France, but despite several attempts, he was unable to replicate the recipe.
By 1921, the Carthusians were reinstated in France with the government’s approval. They established a distillery in Marseille and gradually resumed commercial operations. The monks officially regained the commercial name thanks to loyal companies in the Voiron region in 1929, and the brand "Compagnie française de la Grande Chartreuse" was created.
In 1935, the Fourvoirie distillery was destroyed by a landslide. The Voiron site was then chosen to house the new distillery; until then, the Voiron site had been used by the monks as a cellar and storage area. The Carthusians continued distilling there until 2017, after which they moved to a new site because Voiron was no longer secure enough. A new distillery was built at the Aiguenoire site in Entre-Deux-Guiers in 2018, and its inauguration took place exactly 400 years after the acquisition of the land.
Chartreuse, Exceptional Liqueurs
Today, Chartreuse liqueurs are rare and highly coveted by enthusiasts. There are several exceptional vintages that are as rare as they are prestigious. This is the case with Chartreuse V.E.P. (Exceptionally Prolonged Aging), which is only available in sealed and numbered bottles. Chartreuse Tarragona is equally prized for its exceptional taste experience.
There are also special vintages, such as blended liqueurs designed to celebrate particular events, like the 1605 Elixir Liqueur, marking the date of the original recipe’s discovery. The Foudre 147 Liqueur is a smooth blend of Chartreuses intended for prolonged aging in Foudre 147 at Voiron. The 9th Centenary Liqueur was created to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Carthusian Order.
Discover these Exceptional Chartreuses on our online cellar and don’t wait to taste them !
