Chartreuse is an iconic French liqueur, produced by Carthusian monks since the 18th century. It takes its name from La Grande Chartreuse, a monastery in the French Alps. The recipe for Chartreuse is a well-kept secret, known only to a few monks of the Carthusian order.
Chartreuse is made from a mixture of plants, herbs, flowers and spices macerated in alcohol and then distilled. There are two main types of Chartreuse: green Chartreuse and yellow Chartreuse. Green Chartreuse is the better known and more powerful, while Yellow Chartreuse is softer and sweeter.
At the Café des Fédérations, Chartreuse is served as a digestif, of course, because of its unique taste and its long history as an aperitif or digestive drink in France and around the world.
