Artichoke Elixir – 500ml

Artichoke Elixir with over thirty bitter herbs from the pharmacy

The Artichoke Elixir is the herbal bitter that started it all for Dr. Jaglas. Artichoke leaves give it its name, while over thirty roots, barks, and blossoms provide its depth. Amber-colored in the glass, spicy on the palate, with a long finish and restrained sweetness.

The Artichoke Elixir is a 35% vol digestif in a 500 ml apothecary bottle. The recipe dates back to a 15th-century monastery pharmacy, supplemented with regional artichoke leaves. To this day, it is prepared in the Jaglas family pharmacy in Wuppertal.

Amber-colored, spicy, and a long finish

In the glass, it presents a natural amber hue, achieved without the use of caramel color. Notes of gentian, cinnamon, and clove are present on the nose, while on the palate, the bitter herbs unfold with a restrained sweetness behind them.

Over thirty botanicals go into the preparation. Gentian root and centaury provide the bitterness; cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and galangal bring warmth; bitter orange peel and juniper provide freshness. Lavender, cinnamon bark, and a hint of saffron round out the profile.

What sets this bitter apart from others is its aftertaste. It doesn't just fade away, but lingers for minutes, changing character along the way—first spicy, then resinous, and finally almost sweet. Swirl it slowly in the front of your mouth like you would at a wine tasting, and it will show you what it's capable of.

With oysters, steak, and espresso

The Artichoke Elixir is best enjoyed neat at room temperature, around 18 degrees, or over ice. A serving of 20 ml is sufficient.

At the table, it makes for surprising pairings. Oysters mirror the bitterness with their saltiness, a hearty steak stands up to it, and classically, the bitter serves as a digestif with espresso. It also pairs well with Swabian cream cheese.

At the bar, this bitter serves as a great component. For a Berlin-style Negroni, use one part Artichoke Elixir, red vermouth, and Gin Seng, along with an orange twist. For a lighter option, try an Artichoke Tonic, topped off with half a lime and tonic water.

To try it out, there is the Artichoke Elixir in 50 ml, which also makes a great gift. The large bottle comes in a gift box, making it one of the most effortless gifts for people who already have everything.

Storing the bitter is straightforward. It should be kept upright, cool, and in the dark, and because the alcohol acts as a preservative, it doesn't lose any of its aromatics after opening. A bottle can safely sit on your shelf for a year and continue to develop.

How the artichoke ended up in the monastery recipe

The artichoke is the most recent ingredient in an ancient recipe. It was only added in the late 1960s, born out of a whim at the pharmacy.

Helmut Jagla, pharmacist and father of the current owner, supplemented the traditional herbal infusion with regional artichoke leaves. The leaves added their own, clearer bitterness, and the mixture found its balance. Thus, the monastery elixir evolved into the Artichoke Elixir as it is bottled today.

It is prepared in the Park-Apotheke in Elberfeld's Luisenviertel district, which Helmut Jagla still manages today and where his daughter Christina works. The herbs are cold-macerated by hand in tiny batches to ensure no heat damages the aromas, and are then aged for months.

The origin, purity, and content of every batch follow the guidelines of the Pharmacopoea Germanica, the old German pharmacopoeia. "The herbal specialties deserved to be known beyond the Bergisches Land region," says Christina Jagla regarding her move to Berlin in late 2015. Today, the bitter is even stocked at the three-star restaurant Rutz, and Gault&Millau has awarded the elixir. You can find the entire Dr. Jaglas collection in our manufacturer hub.