This drink is simply divine.

I am not a spirits drinker. I hate whisky, vodka and gin. I DO like Sambuca, so maybe people out there who love Sambuca will share my appreciation of Chartreuse..... not that they taste alike. They don't, although there is something aniseedy about Chartreuse too. I don't like liqueurs either, even though I think Chartreuse likes to think it is one. It is different to anything else. It is unique. It's made by French monks, so it's obviously going to be pretty weird!

Chartreuse has the same kind of taste as mouthwash. It is minty and hot and a little syrupy. It can really burn your mouth if you hold it there for long enough and it can cause you to salivate like a rabid dog (in a nice way?! :-S).

At 55% this stuff has got one hell of a kick to it, and you can quite easily find yourself getting as drunk as a punk without realising you were. I mostly drink Chartreuse neat, but over ice in the summer is nice, and occasionally in hot chocolate in winter. The hot chocolate one is a risky business though, I still haven't figured out the best ratios on that one though and I have been known to pour the odd disgusting mugful down the sink. BE WARNED!

Not many people know the full ingredients used in making Chartreuse. The monks who make it are a secretive bunch. But, it;s said 130 plants/herbs go into it. The end result is a fantastic sweet, warm, complex taste that leaves me glowing. I quite often open the bottle and just breath in the aroma for a few seconds and then put the top back on, smelling it is enough to make me feel cosy and yummy!

A 500ml bottle of Chartreuse usually costs me between £25 - £30. I always think that seems expensive when i'm buying it, but then it seems to last a fair while (55% remember!) and so I don't think that's too bad a price really.
Even if you've never heard of it, it's surprising how many bars have it nowadays, so it's worth sampling a shot in a bar before splashing out on a bottle (inidentally, I think the bottle looks cool too).