Since its inception, Benedictine has enjoyed worldwide acclaim, including in far-flung places like the United States. During the Prohibition era in the 1930s, a bartender at Manhattan's Club 21 concocted a drink by combining brandy with Benedictine liqueur. The drink quickly gained popularity under the name B&B (short for Benedictine & Brandy), so much so that in 1937, production of B&B began at the Palais. However, a minor alteration was made to the original recipe, and now cognac is used instead of brandy. The cognac is added during the final blending stage, just before the last four months of aging. This perfect union of cognac and Benedictine imbues B&B with a striking lightness and a mouthwatering, smooth mellowness.