
The custom absinthe fountain at PDT's NYC.
Beginning this week A Muddled Thought will explore the ever growing absinthe category. Follow me (and the little green fairy) on a tasting tour of some of the world’s most interesting absinthes (both good and bad) and wrap your head around this mystical category
With all the mystery surrounding the once banned substance known as Absinthe, even the name itself is intriguing. What is the mysterious draw people have towards this substance, that in the past has been associated with madness, hallucinations, artists’ creativity, and over time earned the nickname “the green fairy”? Is it because of rumors that great minds such as Van Gogh and Hemingway created some of their most remarkable work after imbibing great quantities of this liquid?
With the rumors of such side effects of madness and hallucinations attributed to absinthe, it went from being one of the worlds most popular drinks in the late 1800′s to being banned in the early 1900′s.
So what caused absinthe to become banned? Up until recent years — in fact as recent as 2007 – thujone, one of the main ingredients in absinthe, had been thought to cause madness. In fact it was actually chemical additives such as copper sulfate that were used as artificially coloring that caused mental illness, not thujone as once thought. This, coupled with wine makers in France petitioning the French government to ban absinthe (mainly due to absinthe outselling wine), led France to say goodbye to the green nectar it once loved.
A brief absinthe timeline:
Circa 1792- Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Switzerland, creates the original patent recipe for absinthe.
1797- Major Dubied and Henri-Louis Perrenod open the first absinthe distillery in Couvet, Switzerland
1910- Switzerland bans absinthe.
1909- The Netherlands bans absinthe.
1912- TheUnited States bans absinthe.
1915- France bans absinthe.
1990’s-BBH Spirits starts importing Czech(billed as bohemian) ‘absinth’.
Early 2000s – Absinthe begins reappearing in Europe after it’s realized that EU law effectively re-legalizes it.
2004- The Netherlands lifts the ban on absinthe.
2005- The law banning absinthe is repealed in Switzerland.
2007-Lucid is the first absinthe to be made available in the United States since the original ban of 1912.
So now that we’ve cleared that up, a few more things about absinthe:
What causes the green color in absinthe?
The green color that is most often associated with absinthe is traditionally created by a combination of whole herbs including hyssop, roman wormwood, and lemon balm (otherwise known as Melissa). Lesser quality brands use artificial dyes.
Does absinthe have to be green to be absinthe?
No. Actually there are two distinct historical categories of traditional absinthe.
The most commonly recognized version of absinthe is that of a green liquid known as “verte” ;from the French word meaning “green”. Absinthe also appears in a second, clear variety known as “blanche”. The “blanche” (white) style of absinthe came into vogue in Switzerland following the ban. The deliberate omission of the coloring step by illegal distillers served as a means of disguising clandestinely produced absinthe from the watchful eyes of the authorities.
Is there a difference between French and Swiss absinthe?
Aside from referring to the country of origin, no. The term “Swiss absinthe” historically refers to any absinthe crafted strictly from the most traditional method of production. Thus, the highest quality absinthes from France and Switzerland were historically described as “Swiss absinthes”. The term “French absinthe” simply stems from the tremendous popularity of absinthe in France during the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
What about this supposed bohemian style of absinthe?
The resurgence of absinthe in Europe during the 1990s was spawned a rush of products to the EU market that are cheaply compounded from alcohol, oils, and artificial dyes, and bear no resemblance to the famous Franco-Swiss spirit. Some of them even consist of no more than alcohol with a handful of herbal matter floating in the bottle. These products are primarily of Czech origin, and are marketed as “bohemian absinth” (note the absence of the “e”). It has been offered that ‘bohemian absinth’ existed in Eastern Europe prior to the communist era, but a lack of actual evidence indicates that if it did, it was very obscure. Today, the term “bohemian absinth” loosely refers to products of varying quality that are marketed as absinthe, but are devoid of the characteristic anise and fennel flavor associated with the traditional spirit.
So what makes absinthe, well absinthe?
Absinthe, as created by Pierre Ordinaire and popularized throughout France, Switzerland, and much of the world was always an anise spirit, and any truly traditional absinthe derives its core flavor from a direct distillation of three main herbs, green anise, sweet fennel, and absinthium. Absinthe aficionados lovingly refer to these herbs as the ‘holy trinity’ of absinthe.
Secondary ingredients that were traditionally used include: Roman wormwood , lemon balm, hyssop, mint, coriander, and other herbs. Distillers of contemporary absinthes often employ different combinations of herbs to obtain a variety of accenting flavor profiles and create their own individuality. This makes absinthe a fascinating spirit, as very few brands have the same accenting flavor profile.
Two things common to any absinthe crafted true to artisanal tradition are firstly, the color of any traditional verte absinthe is obtained directly from whole herbs, and never from artificial dyes (e.g. FD&C Blue, Yellow, etc.). Secondly, absinthe always was invariably a dry spirit, and was never bottled with sugar (i.e. labeled as a “liqueur”).
So what’s the difference between absinthium (otherwise known as grande wormwood), and other types of wormwood?
The term “wormwood” is ambiguous when used alone. Artemisia absinthium (grande wormwood) is the very herb from which the word “absinthe” is derived, is one of the primary ingredients in absinthe, and is partially responsible for the core flavoring of absinthe. If this herb isn’t used in any appreciable amount (or omitted entirely), the resulting spirit ostensibly shouldn’t qualify as an “absinthe”. Roman wormwood, or “petite absinthe” does not create absinthe on its own, but was almost always used to enhanced the flavor and/or contribute to the color of a verte absinthe. There are many other types of wormwood, but these are not generally associated with absinthe.
How does the US government currently classify something as an absinthe?
Currently no official government declaration of what is required for something to be labeled as absinthe exists in the U.S.. This same situation exists in the EU, and has allowed a glut of inferior products to come to market and be paraded as “absinthe”. The only country that has a regulation that governs what can be marketed as “absinthe” is Switzerland, and no cheaper, industrial brands can be produced, imported, or sold there. Unfortunately, the Swiss regulation is presently under attack by EU business interests.
So how is Absinthe made?
There are several major steps to the process of creating a traditional absinthe.
The first step is comprised of macerating (or soaking) herbs and botanicals in a high-proof neutral spirit, for a period of time in a pot still.
Once this step is completed, the macerated liquid enters the distillation process, at which time the herbal essences and alcohol are vaporized and then re-condensed, finally becoming the spirit we know and love as absinthe.
Finally, there is an optional, delicate herbal maceration step that contributes the characteristic olive green tint.
Enough reading, how do I drink absinthe?
Absinthe is usually a high proof alcohol, ranging from 110 to 144 proof. The traditional way to drink absinthe is to pour one ounce of absinthe and slowly dilute it with ice water, either by using an absinthe fountain which allows for a slow drip, or by hand using a carafe. The suggested method is roughly three parts water to one part absinthe. A special glass known as a Perigord or Pontarlier glass is recommended as it was designed with a one ounce reservoir at the bottom of the glass to allow for serving of the exact amount of absinthe, no more and no less to create the most enjoyable imbibing experience.
Often an absinthe spoon, a small metal slotted spoon is placed on top of the absinthe glass along with a sugar cube to add sweetness to the absinthe. You need to better clarify the practice of dripping the water through the sugar into the glass via the absinthe spoon.
So why don’t I just drink my absinthe neat?
Absinthe was developed as a concentrated ‘medicine’, and was never intended to be served neat. As absinthe is an incredibly high proof, you will burn the taste buds and will not be able to suitably enjoy your serving of absinthe.
In addition, adding water to dilute the absinthe allows the absinthe to “louche” or bring out the essences of the anise, fennel,and other herbs to create a cloudy, and often milky white effect. This is best achieved slowly, hence the recommendation of using an absinthe fountain which allows you to control the water flow into the glass containing the absinthe. . By utilizing a fountain you’re less likely to over-dilute the absinthe than if you were to hand pour the water .
Now with all that out of the way, the fun part starts: the tasting of several brands of absinthe.
This article would not be have been possible without the assistance and contributions of the following individuals:
Ted Breaux-Master Distiller of Nouvelle-Orléans and Lucid Absinthes (http://www.vintageabsinthe.com)
Greg Boehm and Christina Andrews -Of Mud Puddle Books(www.cocktailkingdom.com)
Bryan Alex-Obsello Absinthe
Sam Harrington-Of Brand Action Team (www.brandactionteam.com)
Danielle Katz and Christine Deussen of Deussen Global(http://www.deussenglobal.com/)
Jim Meehan of PDT NYC
John Troia of Tempus Fugit
Editorial assistance was provided by:
Josh Hoffman of www.spiritedcocktails.com
Laren Spirer of www.sweetblogomine.com
Francine Cohen of Food and Beverage Magazine- www.fb101.com