FABLED POTION

The quest for life enhancing potions and exotic flavors has propelled explorers across seas, desserts, mountains and cultural divides since time immemorial. The spice trade is as old as the neolithic. Spices and herbs were regarded as medicinal as much as they were flavor enhancers. Medicines were initially prepared as macerations of herbs with alcohol. It’s fitting that the latin name for distilled spirits is aqua vitae, which means water of life. The Gaelic term for whiskey is uisce beatha and the French term for unaged brandy is eau de vie, both of which mean water of life.

Herbal liqueurs were originally made to capture the medicinal essence of the plants used to make them. Angostura Bitters, for instance, were marketed as a cure for malaria. Fernet-Branca, an Italian Amaro, was developed by an herbalist as a pick-me-up and cure for worms, fever, cholera, and pain. The  concoction was still regarded as medicinal during prohibition and was a popular item at the pharmacy with an alcohol content of 39% abv.

The medicine shows and patent medicines of 19th century Americana were a continuation of the tradition. 19th century pharmacy formulary books contained numerous recipes for herbal alcoholic elixirs and bitters.

It’s only fitting that the cocktail was most likely conceived as a medicinal pick-me-up concoction. Add some spirit, a little medicinal bitters, and some sugar–volla!

At Fabled Potion, we continue the quest for that mythic elixir! Cocktails, liqueurs and spirits are more than beverages, they are instruments of alchemy, history, lore, myth, dreams and hopes.