Like many others, I was first introduced to the drink known as absinthe by watching Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! In 2001. If you remember, Ewan McGregor played Christian, a bohemian wannabe writer. At a bar, he tries absinthe for the first time and hallucinates with the others seeing a green fairy, a legend that the drink is known for. The fairy gives him the inspiration needed for this project.
Absenthe has been featured in other films like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Get Him to the Greek, From Hell and Alfie. Often the spirit is shown in a negative light, which makes sense since the legend has a dark side too where the character is a green devil. But despite the stories, the drink doesn’t contain any magical qualities – just a lot of alcohol. Still, the beverage had been outlawed in the United States for nearly 100 years until 2007.
The main ingredients in absinthe are anise, star anise, balm, peppermint and wormwood. These ingredients were first used as medicine in Egypt and the first absinthe was invented in Switzerland during the late 1700s. The spirit became popular in France during the 1800s and ABSENTE absinthe is still distilled in the heart of Provence. Crillon Importers Ltd. was the first distiller to re-introduce the spirit to the states after the ban. According to the company, it is enjoying a renaissance.
Many artists and writers have been known to drink absinthe regularly such as poet Charles Baudelaire, horror writer Edgar Allan Poe and painter Vincent van Gogh. (According to Cocktail Society, the spirit was blamed for van Gogh cutting off his ear, but that story is not true.) Today, a three-faced van Gogh serves as an influencer of sorts for Crillon Importers Ltd.’s ABSENTE Absinthe Refined.
So, why was absinthe banned and why is it okay to drink now? It all has to do with a naturally occurring chemical compound called Thujone which is found in the spirit. It was believed that Thujone would cause hallucinations or worse. The United States were the first to ban absinthe in 1912. However, many years later it was discovered that absinthe only contained minute levels of the bad stuff and was deemed safe.
So, why was absinthe banned in the first place? It all has to do with a naturally occurring chemical compound called Thujone which is found in the spirit. It was believed that Thujone would cause hallucinations or worse. The United States were the first to ban absinthe in 1912. However, many years later it was discovered that absinthe only contained minute levels of the bad stuff and was deemed safe.
In 1998, spirits marketer Michel Roux, the guy who started Absolut Vodka and Bombay Sapphire Gin a decade earlier, decided to create a new company that would offer uncommon spirits like absinthe. His company is now a part of Distilleries et Domaines de Provence whose distillery in Forcalquier Provence, France has been making liqueurs for over 120 years.
But what is absinthe and what does it taste like?
Not long ago I was given sample bottles of both ABSENTE Absinthe Refined and GRANDE ABSENTE Absinthe Originale to try and given instructions on the traditional way of preparing it.
If you want the most authentic experience, then you’ll want to go with the Absinthe Originale, but with an alcohol content of 69%, it’s not for everyone. However, if you like licorice, you might want to give it a try. In small doses of course. I prefer the Absinthe Refined version, but with its alcohol content of 55%, it packs a punch too.
You’ll want to experience the drink from a clear glass as it has a pleasing, natural light green color created from the unique ingredients. The traditional way of preparing the beverage is to place two ounces of ABSENTE in a clear glass. Place a special absinthe slotted spoon (each box comes with one) over the glass and place a sugar cube on top. Then, dissolve the sugar with three ounces fresh water. Stir the drink and you’re good to go. If want to be a little less traditional, then you might want to add a second sugar cube, a little more water or both. You can also add absinthe to favorite cocktails like mojitos or a gin and tonic. Or get creative and add a little to hot chocolate.
Main Image: Crillon Importers Ltd,
Leave a comment