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For decades, the Jagla family of pharmacists has been producing a high-proof stomach bitters called Monastery Elixir based on a medieval monastery recipe. The bitter herbs used once grew in monastery gardens and were particularly valued after rich meals.

Even back in the days of Max Jagla's great-grandparents' colonial goods store, the monastery elixir was very popular as a house specialty among friends, family and regular customers and was carefully refined over and over again.

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The basis of the monastery elixir (stomach bitters) lies in the Pharmacopoea Germanica, the old German pharmacopoeia.

To this day, it functions as a valuable reference work for herbalism, quality testing and essential manufacturing steps - also for the further developments of the artichoke elixir, ginseng elixir, maca ginseng elixir, mulled wine herb elixir, sugar-free dry ginseng gin, mulled wine herb elixir and the two alcohol-free aperitivos Herbal Hibiscus and San Limello.

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At the end of the 1960s, pharmacist Helmut W. Jagla added regional artichoke leaves to the monastery elixir. Known for their bitter substance cynarin, the bitter vegetable became the ideal complement to the remaining herbs, roots and bark. The monastery elixir gave rise to the artichoke elixir - an elixir that was still enjoyed by the teaspoon after a meal or simply on its own - as a digestif.

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1471: a delicacy
1969: "Dr. Jaglas Artichoke Elixir"
2003: Medicinal Plant of the Year

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The ginseng elixir was created a few years later when a good golf friend wanted to supplement the original monastery elixir with a powerful root. The rare and legendary ginseng, which was previously only known from medicine, also has valuable bitter substances and was ideal for adding its unmistakable peaty, sweet note to the remaining herbs.

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The probability of stimulating all taste buds:
Absolutely high percentage

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Together with and for the newspaper DIE ZEIT, the pharmacists developed the ginseng elixir a little further by adding the Peruvian maca root. As a “modern ginseng”, Maca hits the nerve of the times and gives the elixir a nutty base note. After a few exclusive months for DIE ZEIT, it is now regularly included in the Elixir range.

The three bitter elixirs have a distinctive taste and close the long-awaited gap between pure bitters and classic herbal liqueurs. The bitter herbs used are subject to high quality standards of purity and the standardized content of bitter substances and essential oils results in an exceptionally long finish.

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Since the ginseng elixir became increasingly popular as a stomach bitter in long drinks, the next development was to distill it into a sugar-free ginseng gin. At 50% vol, the Dry Ginseng Gin is one of the navy gins and, due to its high herbal density and the 5-times distilled wheat alcohol, has a uniquely soft note.

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Herber Hibiskus and San Limello were developed as alcohol-free aperitif alternatives in keeping with the spirit of the times and conjure up joy of life in the glass.