Bénédictine is a herbal liqueur beverage developed by Alexandre Le Grand in the 19th century and produced in France.

It is claimed that at the Benedictine Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, monks had developed a medicinal aromatic herbal beverage which was produced until the abbey's devastation during the French Revolution. In fact Alexandre Le Grand invented the recipe himself, helped by a local chemist. He told this story to connect the liqueur with the city history to increase sales. He began production under the trade name "Bénédictine", using a bottle with an easily recognizable shape and label. The family eventually sold the company to Martini and Rossi, which was in turn bought by Bacardi.

The Bénédictine recipe is secret and heavily guarded, leading to there being many copy cats, many of which have gone on to be successful in their own right.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org