Angostura Bitters:  Perfected by a German Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert during his stint as Surgeon General of Simon Bolivar’s army in Angostura, Venezuela (present day Ciudad Bolivar). He relied on regional herbs and plants for his tinctures and perfected the formula for Angostura Bitters, which he called Amargo Aromatico, in 1824 as a cure to soldiers’ stomach ailments. The recipe is secret, of course, but gentian is listed on the label. Gentian is the rhizome and roots of a yellow-flowered gentian (Gentiana lutea) of southern Europe that is used as a tonic, stomachic, and flavoring in vermouth. The business moved to Trinidad in 1875, where it is still produced today. The company also produces award-winning rums.