Gentian (spirit)

Gentian spirit is a special kind of drink that grown-ups like to drink sometimes. It's made from a plant called gentian that grows in the mountains.

People collect the roots of the gentian plant and soak them in alcohol to make the drink. The alcohol helps to take out the special flavors of the plant.

When you smell gentian spirit, it might smell a little bit like medicine because the plant it's made from is also used to make medicine. But, when you taste it, it has a very strong, bitter taste.

Some grown-ups like to drink gentian spirit before dinner to help them digest their food better, like when you eat a healthy salad before you eat something sweet. But since it's hard for kids to digest things that are too bitter, this drink is not meant for children to drink.