A look at a True Classic…Nouvelle Orleans
After releasing Lucid absinthe within the US, Ted Breaux working in conjunction with Viridian Spirits decided to bring another absinthe from the Jade line to the US. Since 2000 Ted has been a part of Jade Liqueurs which has been distilling and distributing several reproductions of Pre-Ban Absinthe throughout France.
A pet project of Ted’s for years, prior to recreating several examples of pre-ban absinthe for Jade Liqueurs , Nouvelle Orleans, named for Ted’s home town is a complex creature unto itself.
Ted, after years of sampling and researching pre-ban absinthes created an example that he felt represented the style of the highest quality absinthe available circa the late 1800’s
While all other Jade Absinthes are reproductions of specific absinthes from that era, Nouvelle Orleans is something that Ted put his own spin on. From sourcing the grande wormwood and majority of other herbs in the foothills of the Swiss Alps to hand making each batch himself, and tweaking the process as he goes including taking into account the way herbs can change with each years crop due to environmental influences.
All of this work shows in the final product which begins with a nose filled with elegant notes of anise and sugar(though none has been added).
Once water has been added, the anise decides to step forward and say hello, while keeping that sweetness hiding in the shadows of each sip.
Nouvelle Orleans as it Louches.
Drinking this somehow makes me think about how it must have been to imbibe among the artists of years past, in France pre-ban. Everything even down to the bottle design fitting the spirit within makes Nouvelle Orleans, a perfect example of a classic interpretation of Swiss absinthe. This should be looked at and tasted by anyone who’s looking for an absinthe with no fault.
As far as Swiss based absinthe goes, it’s as close to a perfect spirit as we’ve come across.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Editors Note: While Ted Breaux did assist with the original article on the history of absinthe, and provide some background on Nouvelle Orleans, this did not impact the score for Nouvelle Orleans.
Your score for the Nouvelle Orleans is not an overstatement. It is one of the best Absinthes’ I have had. The only other absinthes’ that come close are the other Jade brands (PF 1901, Edouard, Verte Suisse). If you enjoy the Nouvelle, you MUST try the other Jades. The only problem is they are very difficult to find at times.
I also want to mention that Nouvelle Orleans is one of those absinthes’ that must be dripped ultra slow (set your absinthe fountain
to about 1-2 drops per second) with super cold water. If you have heard from someone that Nouvelle tastes bad, it is because they dripped it too fast.