Bénédictine

Proprietary French multi-herbal liqueur, faux-monastic, produced since the 1860s. Quite popular in cocktails and other mixed drinks—especially 1940s and before. Its character is soft, warm, and complex; less assertive and completely distinct-tasting from Chartreuse. It mixes well. Benedictine is technically an example of a monastic liqueur, but like Chartreuse, it’s so important in mixology that it is treated singularly, specified by name, and not generally substituted. Herbal liqueur is generic for a wide variety of highly-proprietary medicinal multi-herbal liqueur products. About the only attribute unifying this group is that, while certain botanicals may be identifiable, multiple botanical flavorings are combined for an aggregate effect. Chartreuse and Benedictine are definitive examples.