Tarragona Fabriquee Green 1985-89
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Fully mature and ready to enjoy now, though it possesses an almost indefinite aging potential in bottle, continuing to develop tertiary complexity over many decades.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
dark chocolate, blue cheese, roasted nuts
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The legendary 'Tarragona' bottlings of Chartreuse hold a mythical status among spirits collectors, representing a historic era when the Carthusian Monks produced their famous elixir in Spain. Following their expulsion from France in 1903, the monks established a distillery in the Catalan port city of Tarragona, continuing production there until 1989. The 'Tarragona Fabriquee Green 1985-89' represents the very final years of this Spanish chapter. Crafted from the secret recipe of 130 botanicals, this expression is celebrated for its unique character, often described as richer, rounder, and possessing a distinct herbal density compared to its French-distilled counterparts of the same era. The spirit was aged in large oak vats, allowing the complex botanical compounds to integrate beautifully with the alcohol, creating a legendary digestif that bridges monastic tradition and Spanish history.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Dating back to 1605 when the Carthusian Monks of the Grande Chartreuse monastery received a manuscript containing the recipe for an 'Elixir of Long Life,' Chartreuse is one of the world's most storied and enigmatic spirits. Handcrafted by the Monks of the Order of the Chartreux, production historically centered in Voiron, France, with a significant period of exile in Tarragona, Spain, before moving to the modern Aiguenoire distillery in Entre-Deux-Guiers. The production process remains a closely guarded secret known to only two monks, involving the maceration of 130 botanicals in grape-based alcohol followed by extensive aging in oak casks. Renowned for its complex herb-forward profile, the house is celebrated for its iconic Green (Verte) and Yellow (Jaune) expressions, alongside highly coveted V.E.P. (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé) and historic Tarragona bottlings. This legendary producer continues to bridge centuries of monastic tradition with unmatched artisanal excellence in the world of fine spirits and liqueurs.