19th Century Benedictine Liqueur Bottle

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Offered is a late 19th century bottle made for Benedictine Liqueur. It is handblown and heavy, and features the signature … Read more Offered is a late 19th century bottle made for Benedictine Liqueur. It is handblown and heavy, and features the signature embossed open horseshoe shape. The space inside the horseshoe used to hold the wax seal for the product, and the opening at the top was for a paper tab attached to the top stopper, to guarantee that the bottle had not yet been opened. The color is a very intensely saturated green, almost a dark emerald or the deepest shade of tourmaline.
Measures 9.5" tall, 4.25" diameter, 3.5" base diameter, weighs approximately 4lbs
A bit of history:
The exact secret ingredients of Bénédictine are a closely guarded trade secret. The brand only reveals some of the ingredients, and the recipe is said to be known to only a few people at a time.
Known ingredients: Angelica root, traditional root known for its healing properties Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world
Juniper: a spice that is part of the Bénédictine recipe, Hyssop, an herb that is part of the Bénédictine recipe, Lemon balm
an herb that is part of the Bénédictine recipe, Aloe, an herb that is part of the Bénédictine recipe, Arnica. an herb that is part of the Bénédictine recipe, Cinnamon, a spice that is part of the Bénédictine recipe. Other ingredients: Fir cones, Myrrh, Mace, Galangal root, Ginger, and Orange peel. Bénédictine is a cognac-based liqueur that is made by distilling and blending several macerations. The final product is then aged and finished with honey.
From the Benedictine website: "Bénédictine is an elixir; a subtle alchemy of 27 herbs and spices carefully sourced from around the world and hand-selected by the Master Herbalist. From traditional roots including Angelica root, which is renowned for it’s healing properties, to saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, each ingredient is carefully chosen to create the harmonious balance of the elixir. Essential to the production process is the blending of fine honey and saffron, to give a balanced, rich texture.
The secret alchemy of the ingredients imparts a unique taste and fragrance to the liquid. For this reason, only a select number of the dried plants used in the recipe can be revealed."
In 1863, Alexandre Le Grand developed a recipe for a herbal liqueur, helped by a local chemist, from old medicinal recipes he had acquired from a religious foundation where a maternal grandparent had held office as a fiscal prosecutor. To market it, Le Grand embellished a story of it having been developed by monks at the Benedictine Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy and produced by them until the abbey's devastation during the French Revolution. Le Grand began production under the trade name "Bénédictine", using a bottle with a distinguishing shape and label. To reinforce the myth, Le Grand placed the abbreviation "D.O.M." on the label, for "Deo Optimo Maximo" ("To God, most good, most great"), used at the beginning of documents by the Benedictine Order to dedicate their work.
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