Country of origin: Germany
Alcohol content: 42.1% ABV

The Bitter Truth Bogart’s Bitters is a meticulously crafted, true to the original, replica of one of the world’s first bitters (in cocktails). Famed bartender Jerry Thomas, author of the first book on cocktails published in 1862, is synonymous with the first golden age of the cocktail, and Bogart’s Bitters were the bitters of choice for him.

Bottled in the original, iconic 'lady leg' bottle with its authentic label, these bitters amalgamate a beautiful mix of dark spice, chocolatey coffee and European herbs. Dark, brown in color, Bogarts bitters revives the taste of early bartending when aromatic bitters were the defining ingredient for a refined alcoholic refreshment—the cocktail.

Special edition in 350 ml, an individual gift box, and a recipe booklet.

About Bogarts:

Although no bottles of the Jerry Thomas era ever surfaced, the common belief is that Bogart’s was a misspelling of Boker’s Bitters at that time. Still, the impact for the development of the cocktail is without question. Before other bitters appeared in cocktail recipes around the world, there was Bogart’s/Boker’s. A beautifully balanced and versatile cocktail bitter—it was even called for by name in the first Martini recipe printed in 1888, where one was instructed to use “genuine” Bogart’s/Boker’s, indicating that this most popular bitters had weak imitations floating around.

And this makes sense, because if someone were to taste one of the last remaining bottles of original Bogart’s/Boker’s bitters, they would discover that this magnificent bitter is not a cardamom bomb, but rather a beautiful mix of dark spice and chocolatey coffee, that can only be achieved by using a very expensive herb, an ingredient that others use sparingly due to cost, but also to the detriment of the final product.

The Bitter Truth have spent much time investigating this subject for the last 10 years and have come in possession of the super rare original bottle – one of the only known bottles to have survived with its remaining contents, bottled in around 1900.

Originally sold in iconic “lady leg” bottles made of brown glass, these bottles were defunct for about a century and have now been reproduced for this special edition. The same goes for the labels, which have been redesigned from this surviving bottle. The formula has been analysed, and interpreted, and changes in flavor profile due to age were substracted, and the liquid formulated in the way it was centuries ago. 

Enjoy in a Japanese Cocktail:

Jamie Boudreau – Canon: Whiskey and Bitters Emporium Seattle

About The Bitter Truth:

The Bitter Truth started producing cocktail bitters in 2006. The Bitter Truth sticks to the »classic method« of producing bitters by macerating roots, seeds, barks, fruits, herbs and plants in an alcohol base. All ingredients are 100 % natural outside of a small amount of caramel to achieve a beautiful rich color and guarantee the best quality. The design of the bitters bottle refers to old medicine bottles from the 19th century. The label was designed with old fashioned floral ornaments and printed on plastic foil to withstand daily demands.