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K>rolo0ue
Every product which was first made over a hundred years
ago hasin some way assisted in the making or marking ofhis
tory. The Story of Angostura Bitters—internationally,and
colloquially known as"Angostura"—takesusfrom the Battle
of Waterloo to make interesting connection with General
Bolivar, the debonair"Liberator of South America."
This is"the way"of it: Following
their discharge, with honour, from
the service in 1815 after their share
at Waterloo against Napoleon I,
Dr. Siegert, and two or three com
panions,kindred spirits, were minded
to try adventure further afield and
ultimately decided on South America
as the place for it. That was in
1820 when Bolivar was leading the revolutionary armies
of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Attracted by the fight for freedom, the"adventurers,"
in various capacities, threw in their lot with Bolivar, who
later appointed Dr. Siegert Surgeon-General of the
Military Hospital at Guayana.
A newcomer to the equatorial region. Dr. Siegert was
unusually and professionally conscious of the enervating
influence of the climate. He turned for a palliative to
Nature's resources and made a scientific study of the
abundant health-giving herbs and plants of the Tropics.
Four years' research resulted in his origination in 1824
of a blend of aromatic and tonic bitters which he then
named Aromatic Bitters,
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