Aelred Liqueur 1889 Elixer Coiron Vert 0,7L 45%

Aelred Liqueur 1889 Elixer Coiron Jaune 0.7L 43% The recipes for the spirits are sacred because they come from the old Cistercian monks who once lived there. The original recipe for 'l'Elixir de Vie', for example, dates back to 1239. Benedictus von Nuraien from the Villeneuve de Berg Abbey created it. Some of the other recipes for the spirits that are still available today also date back to the early days of the monastery and have been meticulously passed down from generation to generation. Tasting advice for herbal liqueurs of this quality Take the comparison with tasting a good wine. Here, with wine in your mouth, you suck in some air. In contrast, the complexity of a good herbal liqueur can best be understood when you exhale. The CO2 awakens the taste buds, so to speak, calms them down and the aromatic notes develop much better.

Aelred Liqueur 1889 Genepi 0.7L 40% Génépi - Spiked rue This plant is found primarily in the Alpine regions of France, Italy, Austria and even Slovenia. It prefers to grow in rocky places or on rubble, preferably at altitudes of 1700-3800 meters. The herbaceous plant is now one of the plants on the Red List of endangered species, but is listed there as 'Least Concern'. Nevertheless, the IUCN recommends controlling the harvest for herbal liqueurs made from this plant. The aromatic plant from the Savoy Alps is used for the Génépi Liqueur 1889 and is harvested there from mid-July to mid-August. Once this has happened, the Génépi strands are macerated in alcohol for around 40 days, which means that the alcohol acts as a solvent to dissolve certain ingredients of the plant. After this process, cane sugar is added to the flavoured alcohol and then filtered. Génépi liqueur is characterised by its fresh, floral aroma and is preferably drunk as a digestif. But Génépi is also a real delight as an aperitif, and especially when well chilled.

Aelred Pastis 1889 Provencal 0.7L 45% A spirit with tradition After the production, sale and consumption of spirits containing thujone, such as absinthe, were banned at the beginning of the 20th century, farmers from Provence secretly set about developing an alternative. This led to the creation of 'Pastis', which is derived from the French 'pastiche', which in English can be translated as 'imitation'. This Pastis consists of a certain basic ingredient, star anise. Its alcohol content is between 40 and 45% vol. It is important that the spirit can be called Pastis if it has a clearly perceptible aniseed flavour and uses natural extracts from liquorice. Other herbs and plants may also be used, so thyme, cumin and savory are usually found in the ingredients list alongside anise. Other guidelines for the designation as pastis are the glycyrrhizic acid content, which comes from the liquorice root, and the amount of sugar. Recommended consumption Pastis is usually served with ice-cold water. For this, the liquor is diluted in a ratio of 5 to 1 (water/pastis). Pastis is now also used as an ingredient in long drinks, e.g. in combination with bitter lemon or orange juice. In the south of France, and thus in the home of Aelred Pastis 1889 Provencal, another way of serving pastis has become popular. In addition to the ice water mentioned above, you also add a splash of syrup or liqueur.