History

Hardenberg Wilthen has been owned and managed by the Hardenberg family since 1700. The company is made up of three divisions:

• The Schwartzhog Grain Distillery "Graflich von Hardenberg's sche Kornbrennerei", at Hardenberg.
• The wine distillery, "Wilthener Weinbrennerei".
• The ancient liquor producing plant "Der Lachs".

Schwartzhog

Schwartzhog is a brand name for a "Krauter" liqueur

Liqueur

A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...

 (herb liqueur). Traditionally it is consumed as a digestif liqueur, its ingredients include herbs, fruits and roots such as: wormwood, ginger

Ginger

Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....

 and “Sauwurz” also known as hogroot. "Sauwurz" is a member of the Gentiana family.

Sauwurz

"(Gentian) comforts the heart and preserves it against faintings and swoonings."
Nicholas Culpepper, Complete Herbal (1653)

Sauwurz, or Hogroot (also known as Lovage Root ), is a member of the Gentian family and is found across central and southern Europe, at high altitudes.

Hogroot's inclusion in the original Schwartzhog recipe, would have been for its digestive qualities, for the belief that it strengthened the body's inner systems , and for the hope that it may have the same aphrodisiac effects it has on hogs.

Origin

While Sauwurz's digestive properties were recognised by herbalists over 3000 years ago, superstition and old wives tales attributed other, less scientific qualities to this variety of the gentian

Gentian

Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Gentian family , tribe Gentianeae and monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species, it is considered a large genus.-Habitat:...

 root

Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...

. It was said that wild boar in the Black Forest

Black Forest

The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....

 were drawn to it for its aphrodisiac

Aphrodisiac

An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...

 qualities, hence the name "Sauwurz" or Hogroot. There is no scientific basis to this myth, nor any indication that Hogroot has any such affect on humans.

The Hardenberg Hog

The hog or wild boar in the family history tells that in the 16th century, when Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 was made up of rival kingdoms, baronies and principalities, Hardenberg castle was built to defend against neighbouring chieftains. On one particular night, an army approached the castle under cover of darkness, to take the Hardenbergs by surprise. Before the invaders could take positions a wild boar, began to squeal loudly, warning the Hardenberg army in time to see off the attack and prevent a siege. From that day, a black wild boar - or Schwartz Hog - has been the family crest of the Hardenberg

Hardenberg

Hardenberg is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city of Hardenberg has a population of about 17,200. It received city rights in 1362 from Jan van Arkel, Bishop of Utrecht. The famous Pieterpad also passes through Hardenberg.-Cycling:There are...

family and business.