A Rather Spectacular Facade

The factory looked like a palace. Not only was it huge and adorned with all kinds of bric a brac on the exterior, but peering inside I could see marble floors and staircases along with rooms full of statues. More Benedictine info: The recipe is a closely guarded secret, rumored to be known to only three people at any given time. Many people have tried to reproduce the recipe and the company maintains inside the distillery a "Hall of Counterfeits" displaying bottles of the competitions' attempts. The manufacturing process involves several distillations which are then blended. The same company also produces "B & B" (or Benedictine and Brandy), which is Benedictine diluted with brandy, making it less sweet than Benedictine. B & B was developed in the 1930s when consumers began mixing Benedictine with brandy to produce a smoother taste. Both Benedictine and B & B are 43% alcohol (86 proof). Additionally, the company produces a Benedictine Single Cask that comes in a black bottle and is only available at the Palais de la Benedictine's store in Fecamp, Normandy, France. Sounds like a good reason to return.