Losing something is something we have all been through. Sometimes you lose it for the day, sometimes for a month and sometimes things are gone forever. The pure, natural drink Bentianna went through a similar journey. Its roots date back to the 15th century from Benedictine monks who were masters of the knowledge of healing herbs. It was an unfortunate event when the monastery in the High Tatra mountains in Slovakia – the first home of the original recipe – caught fire and the recipe was lost for five long centuries. Now, after many years of searching, the prominent Slovak mixologist Joseph Benjamin Benian rediscovered the recipe.
In 2012, he came up with Bentianna, a drink that exceeds common expectations and stays true to the original recipe, which has now changed the limitations and style of contemporary cocktails. The recipe is balanced and enriched but the basis and the soul remains and consists of pure natural ingredients. It has a sweetness of intense forest honey and raisin extract that continues into the tartness of mountain herbs, mainly gentian, which is known as the “herb of immortality”. This unique taste is best enjoyed in its natural form – pure Bentianna with ice and a slice of lime but has now inspired a whole new generation of cocktail enthusiasts. Next time you’re at a bar, keep an eye out for this aperitif in the ingredients list and enjoy.
