Absinthe – The Green Fairy
Absinthe is an anise-flavored alcohol made from botanicals, including the flowers
and leaves of Artemisia absinthium ("grand wormwood"), green anise, sweet fennel,
hyssop, melissa, star anise, angelica, peppermint, coriander, and veronica. Absinthe
usually has a natural green color but it can also be found clear. It is referred
to as "la fée verte" (the green fairy) thought history. Absinthe can be found from
45% ABV to 89.9% ABV, in other words 90 Proof to 180 Proof. Absinthe was designed
to drink while diluted in a mix of sugar and water. This drink was made by placing
1oz of Absinthe in a glass with a Absinthe spoon (a special spoon that is highly
decorated with perforations or slots)resting a top the glass, then place one sugar
cube on the spoon and slowly dissolve the sugar cube by trickling water over it evenly.
This would produce a louch (a milky opaque drink), this mixing would cloud the water
do to the release of the herbs that are less water soluble (Anise, Fennel, Star Anise,
etc.) creating a wonderful herbal aroma that was not noticeable before.
Absinthe origin is uncertain. Wormwood use dates back to ancient Egypt (1550 BC).
Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves dates back to ancient Greeks. There
is also evidence of a wormwood-flavored wine, absinthites oinos, during that time.
Absinthe began to get a bad name and rumors ran amuck. It was said to invoke hallucinations,
violent crimes, social disorders, insanity and even murder. One Critic claimed “Absinthe
makes you crazy and criminal, provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis, and has killed
thousands of French people. It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman,
and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces
the future of the country.” After years of this kind misinformation, Absinthe was
banned in most every country. In the 1990’s a British Importer BBH Spirits realized
that Britain never banned Absinthe and began importing it from the Czech Republic
where it never had a ban placed on it. After numerous modern studies, they have determined
it has no ill effects other than those caused by regular consumption of alcohol.
By 2007 Absinthe was legally produced here in the U.S.A. and by 2011 most all bans
have been lifted. Famous people whom regularly enjoyed Absinthe: Vincent van Gogh,
Arthur Rimbaud, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, August Strindberg, Oscar
Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Aleister Crowley, etc. The list goes on and on. I hope you
have a chance to try Absinthe and become part of history. Enjoy responsibly. Cheers.
Spirit type: Aperitif Anis
Maker/Importer: Ricard
Volume: 0.88oz
Bottle Material: Glass
Age: 1910’s – 1920’s
Liquid Contents: 60% full
Condition of seal: Sealed with tax label
Spirit Color: Green color
Proof:: 90 Proof
