Absinthe

Absinthe

Absinthe is flavored distilled liquor, emerald green in color and turns cloudy and opalescent white when mixed with water. It is a bright green-colored alcoholic beverage, distilled from a variety of herbs extracted into an ethanol base. It basically originated in Switzerland. 

Created in Switzerland by a French doctor from the extract of a wormwood plant in the late 1700s, Absinthe was thought to have powerful healing properties. Originally it was noted to help relieve the suffering a patient may experience from malarial parasites. While it didn’t cure the disease it did help to subdue it. Today it works well to relieve other mild physical problems like stomach pain, heartburn and indigestion among other ailments.

So, we have the chronic suffering of those in the late 18th century to thank for this potent potable today. It would not take long before the drink would begin to gain in popularity. By the 1870s the French had embraced this liquor and it had become the favored drink of the French Aristocracy. It became known across the nation, as “The Green Fairy” because many creative artists discovered that drinking it would bring on a series of hallucinations that would inspire them to newer heights in their creativity.

Absinthe is usually a combination of green anise, fennel, wormwood, and hyssop. The distillers take great care in selecting the finest of these herbs from their natural habitat. This ensures that the end product will be the best it could be.

Once the cultivation and harvesting of the herbs is done they are measured, weighed and mixed. The recipe must be precise so that there is no variation in the quality of taste from one batch to the next. A process that includes stripping, grinding or crushing then prepares them for distilling.

Distillation includes steeping the herbs in a neutral spirit like wine or vodka long enough for the oils from the herbs to be infused into the spirit. Then it is allowed to rest for several days away from direct sunlight, occasionally shaking or stirring to keep the mixture even. The entire mash is then filtered and cut with water to get the required proof.

Absinthe name comes from

The French word absinthe can refer either to the alcoholic beverage or, less commonly, to the actual wormwood plant, with grande absinthe being Artemisia absinthium, and petite absinthe being Artemisia pontica. The Latin name artemisia comes from the Greek ἀρτεμισία "wormwood" and the latter from Artemis, the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt. Absinthe is derived from the Latin absinthium, which in turn comes from the Greek ἀψίνθιον apsínthion, "wormwood" The use of Artemisia absinthium in a drink is attested in Lucretius' De Rerum Natura (936–950), where Lucretius indicates that a drink containing wormwood is given as medicine to children in a cup with honey on the brim to make it drinkable. Some claim that the word means "undrinkable" in Greek, but it may instead be linked to the Persian root spand or aspand, or the variant esfand, which meant Peganum harmala, also called Syrian Rue—although it is not actually a variety of rue, another famously bitter herb. That Artemisia absinthium was commonly burned as a protective offering may suggest that its origins lie in the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root *spend, meaning "to perform a ritual" or "make an offering". Whether the word was a borrowing from Persian into Greek, or from a common ancestor of both, is unclear. Alternatively, the Greek word may originate in a pre-Greek substrate word, marked by the non-Indo-European consonant complex νθ (-nth). Alternative spellings for absinthe include absinth, absynthe and absenta. Absinth (without the final e) is a spelling variant most commonly applied to absinthes produced in central and eastern Europe, and is specifically associated with Bohemian-style absinthes.

History of Absinthe

The precise origin of absinthe is unclear. The medical use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt, and is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, c. 1550 BC. Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves were used as remedies by the ancient Greeks. Moreover, there is evidence of the existence of a wormwood-flavoured wine, absinthites oinos, in ancient Greece.

The first clear evidence of absinthe in the modern sense of a distilled spirit containing green anise and fennel, however, dates to the 18th century. According to popular legend, absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, Switzerland, around 1792 (the exact date varies by account). Ordinaire's recipe was passed on to the Henriod sisters of Couvet, who sold absinthe as a medicinal elixir. By other accounts, the Henriod sisters may have been making the elixir before Ordinaire's arrival. In either case, a certain Major Dubied acquired the formula from the sisters and in 1797, and with his son Marcellin and son-in-law Henry-Louis Pernod, opened the first absinthe distillery, Dubied Père et Fils, in Couvet. In 1805, they built a second distillery in Pontarlier, France, under the new company name Maison Pernod Fils. Pernod Fils remained one of the most popular brands of absinthe up until the drink was banned in France in 1914.

Types of Absinthe

Blanche

The white Absinthe has a very mild taste with a little sweetness to it. The flavor of green aniseed or fennel take front stage on your palate with a little touch of bitterness to follow.

Ambre

This Absinthe gets its amber coloring from the infusion of herbs. It’s made with the old traditional distillation methods so that it has a full flavor with the distinctly bitter taste of vermouth lingering on the tongue. The stronger flavor of green aniseed is clearly leading the flavors of the herb mixture. It louches up very nicely as is expected from a quality Absinthe.

Verte

Considered to be the highest quality of Absinthe on the market, it is the Absinthe Verte that was given the name “the Green Fairy” or “The Green Goddess.” After distillation, dye is added to get its emerald green coloring. The color changes to an opaque white when water is added. The flavor is strong with the bitterness of wormwood when it first hits your palate but soon the flavors of the other herbs emerge. This Absinthe is quite strong with a 70% alcohol content.

Ordinaire

This one got its name from a doctor (Dr. Ordinaire) who sold it as a medical remedy for many ailments in the 18th century. Made mostly from the extracts and essences of plants and herbs.

Reve Pastis

This is the result of an infusion of wormwood or vermouth with the principle herbs used to make the French Pastis, a licorice flavored liquor made from star anise, licorice, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, sage, and sugar. It is a pleasantly bitter taste with an alcohol content of about 45%.

Bohemian

This Absinthe is made without aniseed. It is more popular in some European countries where the flavor of aniseed is not very popular.

Liqueur

The aniseed that is usually a main ingredient in the Absinthe is replaced with a lemon or other fruit extract.

Traditional Absinthes

Traditional absinthe is made from white grapes and also made from grain, beets or potatoes. Absinthe offers medicinal benefits such as painkilling, sedative and anti-parasitic properties. It also helps in metabolism, fights stomach pain, eliminates worms from intestine, relieves stress and soothes the nerve. On contrary, Absinthe wormwood is the herb that grows from a woody base with multiple stems forming a bushy plant.

                                           Absinthe Herbs

Wormwood was the main ingredient in absinthe, a largely banned, toxic liqueur whose chronic consumption was associated with absinthism. Absinthism was characterized by mental enfeeblement, hallucinations, psychosis, delirium, vertigo, trembling of the limbs, digestive disorders, thirst, paralysis, and death.

 Anise  also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.

Its flavor has similarities with some other spices, such as star anise,fennel, and liquorice. It is widely cultivated and used to flavor food and alcoholic drinks, especially around the Mediterranean. It served as a carminative in herbal medicine

Fennel seeds  is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses and, along with the similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe. 

Lemon balm (Melissa) The leaves have a mild lemonscent similar to mint. During summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. It is not to be confused with bee balm (genus Monarda), although the white flowers attract bees, hence the genus Melissa

Grande wormwood

It is an ingredient in the spirit absinthe, and is used for flavouring in some other spirits and wines, including bitters, vermouth and pelinkovac. As medicine, it is used for dyspepsia, as a bitter to counteract poor appetite, for various infectious diseases, Crohn's disease, and IgA nephropathy

Green anise

Anise is sweet and very aromatic, distinguished by its characteristic flavor.The seeds, whole or ground, are used for preparation of teas and tisanes (alone or in combination with other aromatic herbs), as well as in a wide variety of regional and ethnic confectioneries

Florence fennel 

(which are often called "the holy trinity.") Florence fennel is a cultivar group with inflated leaf bases which form a bulb-like structure. It is of cultivated origin, and has a mild anise-like flavor, but is sweeter and more aromatic. Florence fennel plants are smaller than the wild type.The inflated leaf bases are eaten as a vegetable, both raw and cooked. Several cultivars of Florence fennel are also known by several other names, notably the Italian name finocchio. In North American supermarkets, it is often mislabeled as "anise"

Hyssop

The fresh herb is commonly used in cooking. Za'atar is a famous Middle Eastern herbal mix which has dried Hyssop leaves as one of the main ingredients (sumac being the other). Essence of hyssop can be obtained by steaming, and is used in cooking to a lesser extent.The plant is commonly used by beekeepers to produce a rich and aromatic honey.Herb hyssop leaves are used as an aromatic condiment. The leaves have a slightly bitter taste due to its tannins, and an intense minty aroma. Due to its intensity, it is used moderately in cooking. The herb is also used to flavor liqueur, and is part of the official formulation of Chartreuse.

Melissa

Lemon balm, balm, common balm or balm mint, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae

The plant is used to attract bees to make honey. It is also grown and sold as an ornamental plant. The essential oil is used as a perfume ingredient, but the plant has other culinary and medicinal uses. Lemon balm is used in some toothpastes.

Star anise

Star anise contains anethole, the same ingredient that gives the unrelated anise its flavor. Recently, star anise has come into use in the Westas a less expensive substitute for anise in baking, as well as in liquor production, most distinctively in the production of the liqueur Galliano.It is also used in the production of sambuca, pastis, and many types of absinthe.Star anise enhances the flavour of meat.

It is used as a spice in preparation of biryani and masala chai all over the Indian subcontinent. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine, and in Malay and Indonesian cuisines. It is widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other countries in Asia. Star anise is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. It is also a major ingredient in the making of phở, a Vietnamese noodle soup.

It is also used in the French recipe of mulled wine, called vin chaud (hot wine). If allowed to steep in coffee, it deepens and enriches the flavor. The pods can be used in this manner multiple times by the pot-full or cup, as the ease of extraction of the taste components increases with the permeation of hot water.

Angelica

Some species are grown as flavoring agents or for their medicinal properties. The most notable of these is garden angelica (A. archangelica), which is commonly known simply as angelica. Natives of Lapland use the fleshy roots as food and the stalks as medicine. Crystallized strips of young angelica stems and midribs are green in colour and are sold as decorative and flavour some cake decoration material, but may also be enjoyed on their own. The roots and seeds are sometimes used to flavor gin. Its presence accounts for the distinct flavor of many liqueurs, such as Chartreuse.

Peppermint

Fresh or dried peppermint leaves are often used alone in peppermint tea or with other herbs in herbal teas (tisanes, infusions). Peppermint is used for flavouring ice cream, candy, fruit preserves, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste, and some shampoos, soaps and skin care products

Coriander

Coriander also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking.but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Coriander is used in cuisines throughout the world.

Veronica

Veronica americana is edible and nutritious, as are most species in the genus Veronica, and is reported to have a flavor similar to watercress.Native Americans used Veronica species as an expectorant tea to alleviate bronchial congestion associated with asthma and allergies

Many other herbs may be used as well

Pernod Absinthe

In late 2013, Pernod Ricard announced a re-launch of its original Pernod Absinthe formula ($68 for 750 mL), re-created based on records from the 1800s. In the restored recipe, the neutral base shifted to a grape spirit to provide a fuller body and texture, they started sourcing wormwood from the fields of Pontarlier, France, and they shifted to coloring the spirit through the maceration of botanicals like stinging nettles instead of using dyes. The results, in our eyes, are a pleasant upgrade. The re-formulation tastes like a more upscale, refined version of what made the last iteration of Pernod a classic, with the same botanicals like melissa (an herb in the mint family also known as lemon balm), minty hyssop, and savory fennel. The anise is still present in about the same dose, but the taste doesn't have as much of a bitter metallic twang on the finish.

Pacifique Absinthe Verte Supérieure

Produced in Woodinville, Washington just north of Seattle, Pacific Distillery's Pacifique Absinthe Verte Supérieure ($65 for 750mL) is made with a French recipe from 1855 as the framework. The most striking component of the neutral spirit-based absinthe is the fragrant aroma, which bursts with savory spices like cumin and oregano. Flavor-wise, it eases off the spice and evolves into a wet, floral wormwood character, likely thanks to the botanical portfolio that features two kinds of wormwood (grande and roman), coriander, angelica, green anise, and hyssop. It's a curious medium-bodied absinthe that tastes deep and complex with a unique mix of black tea, cumin, floral citrus, and minty eucalyptus flavors that somehow work in harmony.

Vilya Spirits Extrait d'Absinthe Verte

Formerly known as Ridge Distillers, Vilya Spirits in Montana makes two absinthes—a blanche and a verte. We prefer the verte ($74.99 for 750 mL), inspired by a traditional French recipe. The absinthe uses a neutral spirit base for a clean canvas, which is then spiced up with roman wormwood and lemon balm. The robust botanical profile brings a big herbal personality to the table, but succeeds at evenly balancing floral flavors with subtle spicy ones.

Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure

Made in 2008 as a tribute to the history of absinthe in New Orleans, Philadelphia Distilling's Vieux Carré Absinthe Superiéure ($59 for 750 mL) is a friendly, minty spirit made from a neutral blend of corn, wheat and rye, and double macerated with two variations of the wormwood plant (grande and petite), both green and star anise, fennel, genepi, and spearmint. An aroma of bountiful herbs, pine needles and salty brine softens into a sweet, medium-bodied absinthe with a subdued anise profile. Hardly any bitterness appears, making it a great introduction to absinthe for people who are hesitant about pungent anise. It's one of the sweetest absinthes of the bunch, with a flavor profile that has some interesting earthy components.

La Clandestine Absinthe Blanche

Based on a 1935 recipe developed by Charlotte Vaucher (a famous absinthe moonshiner), distiller Claude-Alain Bugnon began making the blanche La Clandestine ($84.99 for 750 mL) in Couvet, Switzerland in 2000, while absinthe production was still illegal. When production was approved in 2005, a commercial version hit the market, and Clandestine eventually came to the states in 2008 with the help of the team behind Lucid. Made from a neutral grain spirit base and a peaceful collection of star anise, green anise, peppermint, licorice, and lemon balm, the blanche is soft and light-bodied, demure and floral. One of the most fresh-tasting of the group, soft woody pine and meadowsweet flavors brighten up with mint, creating an overall silky quality that lingers softly after the last sip.

New Wave Absinthe

Many American producers are expanding the definition of absinthe, bringing in unorthodox ingredients and production methods to differentiate themselves from the absinthes of old. Welcome to the new world of absinthe.

St. George Absinthe Verte

When the absinthe ban in America lifted, master distiller Lance Winters was already armed and ready with a formula he spent 12 years tinkering with behind the scenes. Like most products out of California's St. George Spirits, the Absinthe Verte ($60 for 750mL or $20 for 200 mL) doesn't exactly follow a traditional flavor profile. The base spirit is a brandy made from Chardonnay grapes, which gives a pungent dried peach aroma and slightly citrusy flavor that isn't present in the absinthes that employ a neutral grain or beet base. Mint, opal basil, tarragon, floral meadowsweet, and stinging nettles support the trinity of wormwood, fennel and star anise, resulting in a round, floral absinthe with oak and lemon flavors that ease into a silky anise character on the finish, lingering just long enough to savor the experience without being that pesky houseguest who outstays their welcome.

Leopold Brothers Absinthe Verte

Leopold Brothers in Colorado imports a Chilean pisco to use as the base for their Absinthe Verte ($40 for 375 mL or $72 for 750 mL), which came out in 2008. Owner Todd Leopold says that the pisco adds a "wonderful floral flavor" that makes a great backdrop for the botanical profile, which includes green anise with a "unique apple note," hyssop, melissa, and lemon balm. The results are a muscular, big-bodied absinthe that unfolds with hefty doses of anise, blasts of fresh spearmint and some hints of white pepper.

Tenneyson Absinthe Royale

Released in 2011, Tenneyson Absinthe Royal ($54.99 for 750mL) is distilled at the historic Distillerie Les Fils d'Emile Pernot just outside of Pontarlier, France. With recipe development from absinthe expert David Nathan-Maister (author of the absinthe encyclopedia) and a young entrepreneur from Austin, TX, the blanche is known as the gin-drinker's absinthe. It even shares some of the same botanicals as its spirited cousin; juniper and bitter orange pounce forward from the sugar beet base, which, much like gin, is spiced up with coriander and angelica.

The refreshing non-traditional absinthe doesn't feature prominent anise or wormwood, but still resembles absinthe at its core, representing a fun exploration of the boundaries of the style. It tastes refreshing with tonic water and an orange peel.

Greenway Distillers Germain-Robin Absinthe Superieure

Some scholars say absinthe made with a wine or grape base will taste naturally superior to those made with neutral grains or beets, and while that might not be the case across the board anymore, Germain-Robin Absinthe Superieure from Greenway Distillers ($50 for 375 mL) makes a strong case for the argument.

The producers start by making a house wine from honey and apples from an old family recipe, which they then distill into the base for the blanche absinthe. Botanical-wise, they replaced many of the usual woody and earthy herbs with "sweet, friendly flavors" like lavender, lemon verbena, and lemon balm. The final results are outside the box in the best of ways; heavy pear brandy aromas introduce the flavor, which ends up tasting effortlessly light-bodied. An opening of subtle wood and tobacco shift into a breezy, bright smack of mint at mid-palate, then cools off into a clean, fresh finish.

Letherbee Charred Oak Absinthe Brun

Letherbee Distillers' Charred Oak Absinthe Brun ($40 for 375 mL) is more than just an absinthe of a different color. Owner Brenton Engel set out make something totally different than other absinthes on the market, so he made a recipe based on neutral grain spirits spiced with anise seed, hints of juniper and coriander (similar to the profile of their gin), then aged the batch in charred oak barrels for six months. The results are completely unique.

If un-aged absinthe makes for a great aperitif, Letherbee's Brun acts as a fantastic after-dinner drink. The aroma wafts with oak, orange, toffee and herbs, and the flavor features vanilla and oak from the aging process that mingle playfully with fennel and absinthe, creating an almost creamy, warming absinthe that feels perfect for chilly evenings.

Top 10 Best Absinthe Brands – 2018

1) Absinthe Escat 68% 

2) Absinthe Montana 68%

3)Absinthe Duplais Balance lower alcohol content 

4) Absinthe Duplais Verte 72% 

5) Absinthe Edouard

This French made Absinthe Verte 

6) Absinthe L’Italienne

This is the first authentic Absinthe to come out of Italy.

7) Absinthe Sauvage 1804

8) Blanche Traditionelle (Brul d’Alambic)81% 

9) Blues Cat Absinthe

An American made Absinthe with a 68% alcohol content.

10) C.F. Berger (circa 1910) This Swiss made drink has all the main attributes that mark a good Absinthe. 

Preparation of Absinthe Drink

The traditional French preparation involves placing a sugar cube on top of a specially designed slotted spoon, and placing the spoon on a glass filled with a measure of absinthe. Iced water is poured or dripped over the sugar cube to mix the water into the absinthe. The final preparation contains 1 part absinthe and 3-5 parts water. As water dilutes the spirit, those components with poor water solubility (mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise) come out of solution and cloud the drink. The resulting milky opalescence is called the louche (Fr. opaque or shady, IPA [luʃ]). The release of these dissolved essences coincides with a perfuming of herbal aromas and flavours that "blossom" or "bloom," and brings out subtleties that are otherwise muted within the neat spirit. This reflects what is perhaps the oldest and purest method of preparation, and is often referred to as the French Method.

The Bohemian Method is a recent invention that involves fire, and was not performed during absinthe's peak of popularity in the Belle Époque. Like the French method, a sugar cube is placed on a slotted spoon over a glass containing one shot of absinthe. The sugar is pre-soaked in alcohol (usually more absinthe), then set ablaze. The flaming sugar cube is then dropped into the glass, thus igniting the absinthe. Finally, a shot glass of water is added to douse the flames. This method tends to produce a stronger drink than the French method. A variant of the Bohemian Method involves allowing the fire to extinguish on its own. This variant is sometimes referred to as "Cooking the Absinthe" or "The Flaming Green Fairy." The origin of this burning ritual may borrow from a coffee and brandy drink that was served at Café Brûlot, in which a sugar cube soaked in brandy was set aflame. Most experienced absinthe do not recommend the Bohemian Method and consider it a modern gimmick, as it can destroy the absinthe flavour and present a fire hazard due to the unusually high alcohol content present in absinthe.

slotted spoon

slotted spoon is used in the traditional Absinthe ritual. In the beginning of absinthe preparation, a special absinthe spoon helps to flavor the cocktail. The spoon holds a sugar cube above a glass while the preparer pours cold water over the sugar.