Angostura bitters is so well known but i will still say a few words about its origin.
Dr J:G:B Siegert, settled in Venezuela in 1820. Siegert was a medical savant and he devoted much time to the scientific study of the merits of tropical plants. His researches resulted in the making of carminative bitters, that was in 1824. He had such great success that he started to manifacture his bitters commercially. The bitters became known as “Angostura” named after the Venezuelan town Angostura which later changed its name to Ciudad Bolivar. Since then the secret formula for these bitters has been guarded by his descendants and successors.
In the 1900 campaign in South Africa 2400 bottles were presented to sufferers from dysentery and this gift proved great value, especially in the second stage of disease, These bitters were also used for its medical qualities during capt Scotts antarctic expedition in 1910.
