Dr. Jaglas: Herbal elixirs from the pharmacy, non-alcoholic aperitifs

Dr. Jaglas is the brand of the Jagla pharmacist family from Berlin. Its origins lie in a medieval monastery recipe: for decades, the family has been preparing a digestif made from centaury, gentian, and zedoary root—the "Kloster-Elixier"—at their pharmacy in the Bergisches Land region. In the late 1960s, pharmacist Helmut W. Jagla added artichoke leaves to the recipe, and thus the Artichoke Elixir was created in 1969. Pharmacist Dr. Christina Jagla turned this into the Dr. Jaglas brand and expanded the range to include ginseng, maca, a gin, and non-alcoholic aperitifs. The herbs for the high-proof elixirs are tested according to the German Pharmacopoeia; no artificial colors, flavor additives, or caramel coloring are used.

Non-alcoholic aperitifs: Herber Hibiskus, San Limello, San Pompello, San Orangello

The Herber Hibiskus is our best-selling Dr. Jaglas—a tart-fruity blend of hibiscus, rosemary, bitter orange, and elderberry, the non-alcoholic answer to the orange-colored spritz. The San Limello brings the lemon notes of a limoncello to the glass without the alcohol, the San Pompello brings pink grapefruit, and the San Orangello brings bitter orange. All four come in 500 ml apothecary bottles and can be topped up with tonic, prosecco, or mineral water; if you prefer them ready-mixed, choose Hibiskus Spritz or San Limello Spritz in the 750 ml bottle. The three most popular varieties are available as a set in the Aperitif-Trio.

Elixirs, liqueurs, and gin: the high-proof side

The Artichoke Elixir at 35% vol is the family's digestif, the Golfers Ginseng Elixir complements the monastery herbs with ginseng root, and the Maca Ginseng Elixir—developed for DIE ZEIT—adds nutty maca. The Apple Mallow Elixir at 25% vol and the Mulled Wine Herb Elixir for the colder season are milder. The Dry GIN-seng is a sugar-free, navy-strength gin with 50% vol and ginseng. All six are also available as 50 ml miniatures for sampling or as gifts.

Order Dr. Jaglas online

At Leni & Hans, you can have the Dr. Jaglas range delivered to you in 1–3 days. Christina Jagla tells the story of how the Monastery Elixir became a brand in our interview; you can find drinks like the Negroni with Artichoke Elixir or the Hibiscus Rosemary in our recipes. Further non-alcoholic alternatives can be found in the Non-Alcoholic Spirits category, and gin from other distilleries under Gin.