Interest in absinthe has been increasing over the years, but Newsweek has noted that interest in the Green Fairy is growing even more. The variety with wormwood in it is illegal in the U. S., but you can get non-wormwood versions here. My husband and I love absinthe, but we want the real thing. The variety we can get at the local liquor store tastes a little too much like Nyquil with herbs. Absinthe over the centuries has been blamed for madness, hallucinations, and seizures.
We are excited about the news that an environmental chemist claims to have re-created the original using a recipe from bottles that are a couple hundred years old. I want to get a bottle of this stuff.
Now an environmental chemist from New Orleans named Ted Breaux claims to have re-created the original exactly, using a couple of hundred-year-old bottles of original Pernod absinthe to distill the recipe: a half-dozen-odd botanicals, including Spanish green anise, Alpine hyssop and absinthium. The result is Absinthe Edouard 72 (a staggering 144 proof) and Jade Verte Suisse 65 (130 proof), at $90 a bottle.
Every period detail is correct. Breaux, 39, chose Saumur's Combier distillery in France, with the very stills used by Pernod in the 1870s. Even the obsolete driven-in corks are accurate. And what about the psychosis? Breaux says that it's largely a myth: some of the old absinthe was toxic, but top brands like Pernod would have met modern European safety standards for thujone, the neurotoxin blamed for its hallucinations. Since thujone is still banned in the United States, tempted Americans will have to fly to Europe to sneak a taste of the original.
Absinthe has experienced a revival in Switzerland. I've heard of the Czech varieties, and I've heard to avoid them. Apparently, the manufacturers add green dye to the mix (Absinthe is light green in color). Absinthe was not a tradition in the Czech Republic, but manufacturers there began to make a fake version due to the re-emergence of popularity of the drink in the 1990s.
Here is a web site full of great old posters advertising Absinthe.
For Blogcritics readers, if you are interested in purchasing an Absinthe kit, complete with glass and slotted spoon, you may buy them at Amazon.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - kansasman
so what countries would a person have to purchase Absinthe? Swiss only? or can you go to England? France? Amsterdam?
2 - Doug Smith
The last issue of Wired magazine had a very interesting article about a chemist who has studied absinthe in-depth to determine if it was really as bad for you as the mythology surrounding has made it seem. He's even reverse-engineered his own version from an original bottle. I'd love to get my hands on some.
3 - The Countess (Trish Wilson)
I know you can buy absinthe online, including Swiss absinthe, but it's not cheap. The bottles I've seen cost from $100 to $200+.
4 - mr. x
Absinthe is legal in Canada, so unless you demand the highest quality stuff, coming up here is the quickest way.
5 - Leslie
Nice piece, Trish. I noticed that one of Blogcritics sponsors is an Absinthe company that sells the Czech variety. Has anyone ever ordered from them? Their ad says that it is legal to own in the US, just not resell. Meaning you can purchase from overseas via the internet or mail, you just can't resell it here.
I'm too much of a wimp to try it myself, but figured the company must be legit if they are advertising on Blogcritics.
Leslie
6 - td
I sampled the czech absinthe while backpacking throught the country in 2000. I didn't find it tremdendously hard to swallow, however, we usually didn't get into the stuff until later at night when we were good and drunk already. I've had moonshine and newfoundland screetch, and the bite would be comparable to those.
As far as the health properties of it, well, if you're in a small town in the middle of nowhere, where people don't speak english, where the bar is a giant glass case with live snakes crawling through it, and where beautiful girl hands you a flaming double shot glass of green liquid....you just drink it and worry about the liver transplant later.
7 - thom young
It's illegal to produce or sell absinthe, not to have it or drink in the US. You can order online, get stuff from France or Switzerland. It must say "Absinthe" on the bottle and not "Absinth".
8 - Reece
I have had a bottle of Absinth fromthe Czech republic and it was fine. It got me an amazing drunk. Possibly the best I have ever had. So I dont see what all this about Absinth and Absinthe is about. I have had bot and except the Absinthe being 10%alc stronger there was no difference.
9 - DrAbsinthe
"So I dont see what all this about Absinth and Absinthe is about"
Thujone! That's why it's banned in the USA; the Czech stuff is high thujone, and the absinthe snobs don't like it. They blame the Czech absinthe makers for creating a high thujone absinthe, and screwing their propoganda campaign.
Reece, you'll find the Czech stuff is different from the Swiss "white asbinthe" and the new breed of follow ons. The Czechs started the revival 17 years ago in a small Bohemian village - many have since jumped on the bandwagon.
Absinthe was made in Bohemia for generations.
Absinthe actually has been around since the Middle Ages throughout Europe - they used to steep the thujone bearing herb wormwood in wine and spirts. Absinthe is the French word for wormwood - hence the confusion.
PS: Who invented absinthe? The Frenchman Dr. Ordinaire? No, he never existed! Sorry about that!
10 - Drunken Master
The idea that absinthe began in Czech "bohemia" is ridiculous and inaccurate: the physician Galen recommended an infusion of wormwood and wine all the way back in the 2nd Century and cultures have been extracting the plant's benefical compounds with high proof alchohol for literally thousands of years.
As for the claim that Dr. Ordinaire never existed, do a little research yourself: he did exist, there is a clear historical record, and he was the first person to market absinthe on a mass scale.
There is a massive disinformation campaign sponsored by the distillers of czech "absinth", most of which is horrible swill.
11 - DrAbsinthe
"The idea that absinthe began in Czech "bohemia" is ridiculous and inaccurate: the physician Galen recommended an infusion of wormwood and wine all the way back in the 2nd Century and cultures have been extracting the plant's benefical compounds with high proof alchohol for literally thousands of years"
Fool. Alchemists used stills in 15th Century Prague under the patronage of the Royal Court. That is the issue. Nobody is talking about wormwood infusions - do you even know what a still is?
"As for the claim that Dr. Ordinaire never existed, do a little research yourself: he did exist, there is a clear historical record, and he was the first person to market absinthe on a mass scale"
LOL. What utter rubbish. That would be Pernod you are talking about - the people that invented the person of Dr Ordinaire. Dr Ordinaire exists only in Pernod publicity - recently the owner of The Wormwood Society called him the absinthe equivalent of Father Christmas.
If you want to spread your falsehoods - get to grip with the subject first.
12 - DrAbsinthe
"There is a massive disinformation campaign"
You mean the one waged by a long haired American gentleman, and his sword carrying partner, to try to undermine the scientific evidence against thujone....and get absinthe into high street USA?
FACT: Toxin in absinthe makes neurons run wild
FACT: 1.Absinthe was made in Bohemia for generations.
2.Absinthe actually has been around since the Middle Ages throughout Europe
3. The modern renaissance in absinthe began in Bohemia in a village pub
Also, the famous Alchemists at Rudolf II's court in Prague probably made wormwood distillations. Research is currently being carried out.
13 - DrAbsinthe
"I have had a bottle of Absinth fromthe Czech republic and it was fine. It got me an amazing drunk. Possibly the best I have ever had"
:-) Which one? There are brands made in the Czech Republic with 100mg thujone. The 28-35mg Czech absinthe is legal in the EU
14 - Drunken Mistress
"The modern renaissance in absinthe began in Bohemia in a village pub."
1. Can you give readers the name and address of the pub?
2. Is the pub also an "absinthe" factory, i.e. did they make it there? I assume not, so the renaissance must have started at some factory, presumably nearby. Which company and which "absinthe?" The Hill's website claims it has been around since 1920, which pre-dates your claim of 17 years.
3. ""There is a massive disinformation campaign"
You mean the one waged by a long haired American gentleman, and his sword carrying partner."
I thought the comment policy of this site precludes personal attacks. What is the relevance of the fact that this American is apparently long-haired and has a sword carrying partner?
15 - Drunken Mistress
"the Czech stuff is high thujone, and the absinthe snobs don't like it. They blame the Czech absinthe makers for creating a high thujone absinthe"
It's not quite so straightforward. Czech "absinth," Swiss absinthe and French absinthe all have broadly similar technical standards as far as the amount of thujone is concerned. The European Union (and Switzerland) permits a maximum thujone level of 10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with more than 25% ABV (this includes absinthe and Czech "absinth," and 35 mg/kg in alcohol labelled as bitters. So if it is just labelled as absinthe/absinthe, it will have up to 10 mg/kg of thujone. If it has more than 10 and up to 35, it must be labelled as "amer" or "bitter."
So on the whole Czech "absinth" and French/Swiss absinthe have similar thujone levels, and Czech "bitters" and French/Swiss "amers" have similar thujone levels.
The only exceptions to this are a few products such as King of Spirits Gold, which while legal in the Czech Republic is illegal everywhere else. I have changed my url for readers who want to read reviews of this product.
16 - DrAbsinthe
"which while legal in the Czech Republic"
Dear me! You can't copy and paste that "fact": It is NOT legal in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is part of the European Union - I presume that you didn't realise that?
1. Can you give readers the name and address of the pub?
Of course I can!
2. Is the pub also an "absinthe" factory, i.e. did they make it there?
No.
>>I assume not, so the renaissance must have started at some factory, presumably nearby.
Do you understand the law as regards distilling in the Czech Republic? I suspect not.
>>Which company and which "absinthe?" The Hill's website claims it has been around since 1920, which pre-dates your claim of 17 years.
Do you read Czech? Before continuing your hate campaign, take a sabbatical and learn. Also get out a dictionary and look up the term "renaissance"
I am not minded to translate anything for people who use abusive terminology based upon regional products. This online hate campaign, which on some forums degenerates into quasi racism, is shameful.
17 - Drunken Mistress
"abusive terminology based upon regional products"
Where?
18 - Drunken Mistress
"Can you give readers the name and address of the pub?
Of course I can!"
But it seems you do not want to. What is the name and address of this pub?
19 - DrAbsinthe
"I have changed my url for readers who want to read reviews of this product"
Fee Verte - a commercial network of websites selling oil mix "real absinthe" from South Africa with a French name! If you click on my url you will be taken to a thread where this curiosity is revealed:
The infamous letter published by the Wormwood Society:
"Dear Sir / Madam,
You previously enquired about Doubs Premium Absinthe, but unfortunately at the time we did not have an online ordering facility in place. I am very pleased to inform you that we now have this facility in place via one of the most respected and independent absinthe associations in Europe, namely Absinthe Classics. This association has carefully selected only 2 absinthes in the world for online sales, and Doubs Premium Absinthe is one of them.
Doubs Premium Absinthe is fast becoming recognized as one of the finest absinthes in the world, and the highly respected Fee Verte Buyers Guide consistently rates it on top.
Question for you Drunken Master / Mistress:
First read the following statements....
"and the highly respected Fee Verte Buyers Guide consistently rates it on top"
"one of the most respected and independent absinthe associations in Europe, namely Absinthe Classics.
(i) Who is "Absinthe Classics" - an independent absinthe association? or a commercial company organised under English law?
(ii) Is this UK company the sole European distributor for Doubs?
(iii) What is the difference between this absinthe and the absinthe that originates in the Czech Republic?
Finally, if you do not accept the historical fact that the recent absinthe renaissance of the last century was started in the Bohmeian lands, then you are rewriting history to suit your own prejudice. This is FACT.
20 - DrAbsinthe
Abusive comments:
"There is a massive disinformation campaign sponsored by the distillers of czech "absinth", most of which is horrible swill."
This is also an outright lie - you should be ashamed of yourself. Check your facts before junping to conclusions.
21 - Drunken Mistress
"It is NOT legal in the Czech Republic."
Sorry, I got that information from the site in my new url above. They write:
"Real czech absinthe, the kind that writers used and was popular back in the day before it was banned in 1915 has lots of a chemical called thujone in it. Thujone comes from the wood of the wormwood tree and is resposible for the pshcyoactive effects, bitter taste and color of absinthe. The catch -- the absinthe you buy from european nations is very low in levels of thujone because only absinthe products with very low thujone levels can be made, legally, in most european nations ..... The only place in the world that still allows you to buy absinthe with the traditional ingredients is the Czech reupblic -- Let me repeat that -- Only Czech Absinthe is real.
And King of Sprits Gold is the best Czech Absinthe there is to buy."
Is this true?
And are you saying that King of Spirits Gold and other products with 100 mg/kg of thujone are illegal in the Czech Republic?
22 - DrAbsinthe
Please answer my questions about Doubs, before I enlighten you on the minutae of Czech law.
23 - DrAbsinthe
I further advise you to ask questions about King Of Spirits Gold Absinth here.
24 - DrAbsinthe
The pub? The one bottle of absinthe that was made, was for Besídka in Slavonice.
25 - Drunken Mistress
"Absinthe was made in Bohemia for generations."
According to my new url, "Absinthe King Gold is from an original Swiss absinthe recipe."
And the other site I referred to earlier(stargeek) says "King of Sprits Gold is the best Czech Absinthe."
So if I read these correctly, the best Czech absinthe uses a Swiss recipe. What was wrong with the absinthe "made in Bohemia for generations" that they had to use a Swiss recipe?
"Made in Bohemia for generations:" how many generations?