Becherovka Herbal Liqueur
Becherovka Herbal Liqueur is a 750mL Czech herbal bitter bottled at 38% ABV (76 proof), produced in the Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary since 1807. Its secret recipe — around twenty herbs and spices, mixed weekly in the guarded Drogikamr room by the handful of people who know it — was created by pharmacist Josef Vitus Becher with the English physician Christian Frobrig as a medicinal tonic, and his son Johann built the Jan Becher company around it. The blend is macerated in alcohol, then blended with water, sugar and Karlovy Vary water and matured in oak casks. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 38% (76 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Recipe: Around 20 herbs and spices; exact recipe secret, mixed in the Drogikamr
- Production: Macerated in alcohol about a week; matured in oak casks about two months
- Origin: Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Czech Republic
- Created: 1807, by Josef Vitus Becher with Dr Christian Frobrig
Karlovy Vary's Secret Recipe, Guarded Since 1807
Becherovka began as "English Bitter," a stomach tonic sold from a Karlovy Vary apothecary in the town's spa era, and became the Czech Republic's defining bitter — golden amber, sweet first, then warming spice over a pleasantly bitter finish. Only a handful of people know the full recipe at any time, and the herb-and-spice blend is still mixed by hand once a week. The house is now part of Poland's Maspex Group, which acquired it from Pernod Ricard in 2023/24. Explore the brand on the Becherovka vendor page, or browse our spirits collection.
Tasting Notes
Per the brand's launch notes: sweet at the first sip with dark honey, then cinnamon, clove and ginger spice, unfolding to a slightly bitter, pleasant finish with orange peel.
How to Enjoy
Traditionally served well chilled and neat, straight from the fridge or freezer, as a digestif. For the Czech national cocktail, build a Beton — Becherovka over ice with tonic water and a lemon slice, created for Expo 67 in Montreal; the name is a pun on BEcherovka + TONic, and "concrete" in Czech. More liqueurs are in our spirits collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Becherovka taste like?
Dark honey sweetness first, then cinnamon, clove and ginger warmth, finishing pleasantly bitter with orange peel — a bittersweet herbal profile built on around twenty herbs and spices.
How do you drink Becherovka?
Well chilled and neat as a digestif is the tradition; with tonic and lemon it becomes the Beton, the Czech highball created for Expo 67.
Who created Becherovka?
Karlovy Vary pharmacist Josef Vitus Becher, with English physician Christian Frobrig, in 1807. The company name Jan Becher comes from his son Johann, who scaled production from 1841.
Two centuries of guarded recipe in every pour — order Becherovka online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.