Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal de la Grande-Chartreuse Liqueur
Chartreuse Élixir Végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse is a 69% ABV (138 proof) herbal elixir from the Carthusian monks of the French Alps — produced to the 1764 recipe, the oldest in the Chartreuse canon, built on 130 botanicals (plants, bark, roots, spices and flowers). Sold in a 100mL bottle inside its protective wooden case, it is the potent ancestor of every Chartreuse: intensely vegetal, bitter-sweet and medicinal, best taken by the teaspoon, on sugar or in drops. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 69% ABV / 138 proof
- Size: 100mL (wooden presentation box)
- Recipe: 130 botanicals; unchanged since 1764; distillation, maceration and extraction
- Origin: Carthusian monks, French Alps, France
- Character: A cordial, digestif and tonic — concentrated alpine intensity
The 1764 Elixir of Long Life
In 1605 the Duke of Estrées entrusted the Carthusians with a manuscript of 130 plants promising an "elixir of long life"; a century and a half of work by the monks — fixed by Brother Jérôme Maubec in 1764 — produced this Plant Elixir, sold from market squares by Brother Charles and pressed into service during the 1832 cholera crisis. The recipe has never changed. Explore our liqueur collection and the Chartreuse range at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: candied angelica, eucalyptus, liquorice, tobacco leaf, freshly cut grass, spruce needles and cracked black pepper. Palate: intensely herbal — peppermint, ginger, lemon, aniseed, bitter roots. Finish: long, bitter-root and spearmint, warming.
How to Enjoy
Pure by the teaspoon, a few drops on sugar or a meringue, in herbal tea or a hot toddy with honey and lemon — or a few drops in a cocktail for bold herbal depth. At 69% ABV, a little goes a very long way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ABV of Chartreuse Élixir Végétal?
69% ABV (138 proof).
What is Élixir Végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse?
The original 1764 herbal elixir of the Carthusian monks, made from 130 botanicals — the ancestor of Green and Yellow Chartreuse.
How do you drink Élixir Végétal?
A teaspoon neat, drops on sugar, in hot tea or water, or by the dash in cocktails and desserts.
Why does it come in a wooden box?
The monks pack it in a wooden case to protect the elixir from light, preserving its taste and color.
The most intense thing in the Chartreuse canon — buy Chartreuse Élixir Végétal online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.