Absinthe: The Topic

[Wild Bill Turkey]

Different, yes. Like apples & fish. I think the new one is much, much better, but they're so different that they're hard to compare as though they were from the same family. They're made by different hands, with different ingredients. Both distillers are skilled, all the herbs carefully chosen from good local sources on opposite sides of the ocean. The recipes may have been similar, but they're really completely different animals.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Wild Bill Turkey (log)

[Dan Perrigan]

Has anyone else had North Shore Sirene Verte? I tried it in Chicago side by side with Kubler (in a drip) and liked it better than the Kubler, but these are the only two absinthes I've tried -- so I don't know where it stands next to many of the others.

Thanks,

Dan

[Peter Green]

Good news for Singapore. It seems that the AVA (Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority) removed absinthe from the banned list in November.

There are some restrictions on the thujone levels (check them out here.

[John Rosevear]

Has anyone else had North Shore Sirene Verte? I tried it in Chicago side by side with Kubler (in a drip) and liked it better than the Kubler, but these are the only two absinthes I've tried -- so I don't know where it stands next to many of the others.

I haven't had the North Shore, but if the US market Kubler is anything like the original US-ban-era Swiss variant of a few years ago, I think you'll find that nearly all absinthes are less anise-y and more nuanced. I found the older stuff nigh undrinkable, which is a shame as I've still got nearly a liter of it sitting around.

[Chris Amirault]

So I just got an absinthe fountain as a gift, and I have no idea what to do with it. Well, I have an idea: cold water with ice, spoon with sugar, drippy drippy, etc.

Can someone give me some step-by-step instructions including amounts? Do you chill the glasses prior to dripping? These glasses are huge: I don't want to fill them at a 4:1 ratio, do I? Appropriate food, rituals, expressions, and so on are also welcome.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Chris Amirault
ratio query (log)

[haresfur]

How do you "dash" your absinthe? Being lazy, I have been just slopping as little as I can from the bottle, but this isn't really adequate (or should I say the amount is usually more than adequate). Do I need to hurry up and use up a bitters bottle to recycle it? Do I find a mister? Can I recycle a plastic eyeglass cleaner mister or do I need to find a glass one somewhere? Is there something I can do that doesn't look tacky, or should I just embrace tacky?

[KD1191]

How do you "dash" your absinthe?

There are many options.

Personally, I use the last of those...found them at Whole Foods.

[KD1191]

Can someone give me some step-by-step instructions including amounts? Do you chill the glasses prior to dripping? These glasses are huge: I don't want to fill them at a 4:1 ratio, do I? Appropriate food, rituals, expressions, and so on are also welcome.

Yes, generally you want somewhere from 3:1 - 5:1, water to absinthe...quite dilute. Obviously the size of your glass and preferred ratio is going to determine your exact measurements. I'm not entirely sure how necessary the sugar cube is these days with the quality of products we have available, but it's not like it's unpleasant either. Stirring in some simple after the drip is probably a better way to tweak the taste to your preference, if considerably less ritualistic.

ETA: Have never used chilled glasses...though I'm not sure it would hurt anything. That said, the process takes awhile, so I'm not sure how much chilling the glass would help. The end result has always been plenty cold due to the quantity of ice water that's involved.

Edited August 20, 2010 by KD1191 (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks.

So I don't want cocktail cold but something in the 33-34F range?

[KD1191]

Thanks.

So I don't want cocktail cold but something in the 33-34F range?

Haven't ever measured temps, but the fountain should be pretty full of ice to start the process. You might give the ice/water a bit of a stir before opening the tap, too.

[thirtyoneknots]

Add the desired dose of absinthe to the glass and set it to a very slow drip (I typically accomplish this by adding crushed ice to a funnel over it and sitting outside on a warm day). As the dilution begins to build up, the louche will sink to the bottom and there will be a cloudy layer with a clear layer floating on top. Generally speaking, you want the clear layer to disappear on its own--if the drip is done slowly enough the layers will stay distinct. On something really mild like Lucid you may wish to shoot a little under but I've found that this method is a good place to start.

I haven't been drinking enough absinthe lately, no excuse with the 100+ weeks we've been having.

ETA: you don't want the glasses full...like wine, there is some pleasure to be had from nosing the stuff, which requires a fair bit of empty space in the glass. Also, large drinks get warm before you can (should?) finish them.

Edited August 28, 2010 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks Andy -- the descriptions are very useful.

I have a precious bottle of Marteau I want to use, and I'm still a bit more confused than I'd like to be before trying this out. Should I start with, say, 1 1/2 oz in each glass? And how long should it take to get those distinct layers to disappear with a nice, slow (one drop per second?) drip?

I realize, btw, that I'm turning a romantic process into accounting.

[thirtyoneknots]

Thanks Andy -- the descriptions are very useful.

I have a precious bottle of Marteau I want to use, and I'm still a bit more confused than I'd like to be before trying this out. Should I start with, say, 1 1/2 oz in each glass? And how long should it take to get those distinct layers to disappear with a nice, slow (one drop per second?) drip?

I realize, btw, that I'm turning a romantic process into accounting.

I'm sadly unfamiliar with the unique properties of Marteau, but when I have my Jades this way I normally only do 1 oz, given the expense and potency of these absinthes. When using the much more irregularly timed method laid out above, it can take up to half an hour or more to complete a drip, which is just enough time to emjoy an Americano or Vermouth Cassis. Absinthe drip is rarely the first thing I drink in an afternoon; better to set it up and watch it go with another light beverage in hand. I've never really used a fountain before (jealous!) but from my limited observance of their operation I would guess you could probably get something in the 5 minute range.

I know the stuff is expensive, but its really pretty hard to mess up, so just try it. If its too stout, add more water. Too weak? Just roll with it as a learning experience, or add a few dashes more of hooch. Slightly over-watered absinthe isn't offensive by any means.

Edit: clarify.

Edited August 30, 2010 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[John Rosevear]

Back before the US ban was lifted, I went through an absinthe-obsessed phase, and accumulated several bottles of the stuff that was considered good back in 2005-2006. I'm still drinking down the last of it -- the drink I'm sipping right now came from a bottle of, IIRC, the second batch of Montmartre (it has faded some, but still palatable). I was an early customer of LdF, had all the Jades through Edouard (but not PF1901), the Fougerolles, the Swiss-market Kubler, the original Un Emile, etc., etc.

But nothing new or recent. Long story short, I haven't bought a bottle of absinthe, other than a single bottle of Lucid (eh), in probably 4 years. So here's my question: What are the best brands available now, cost no object? If I were to buy or order 2 or 3 bottles tonight, which ones? Still the Jade? Marteau if I can find any? Something else?

[KD1191]

I'm not a big absinthe drinker, but the Emile Pernot "Vieux Pontarlier" 65 gets a lot of good reviews. My wife was gifted a bottle for her birthday by a bartender friend as she is an absinthe-lover, and she thinks very highly of it. The Leopold Bros. is another that I've heard praised, but I have not tried it personally.

[Dan Perrigan]

...What are the best brands available now, cost no object? If I were to buy or order 2 or 3 bottles tonight, which ones?

My intro to absinthe a couple years ago involved tastings of Kubler and North Shore (using a traditional drip). The North Shore is excellent. When I started putting together a home bar last year, I bought a bottle of it. Since then, I've tried St George and was blown away by its complexity. When my North Shore runs out I'll be replacing it with a bottle of St George.

Has anyone compared St George to the Jades? I'd be interested in how they compare.

Dan

[John Rosevear]

FWIW, I ended up ordering Jades -- PF1901 (to try) and Edouard (my favorite, back in the day). But I'd still love to know what else is in that class these days.

[thirtyoneknots]

...What are the best brands available now, cost no object? If I were to buy or order 2 or 3 bottles tonight, which ones?

My intro to absinthe a couple years ago involved tastings of Kubler and North Shore (using a traditional drip). The North Shore is excellent. When I started putting together a home bar last year, I bought a bottle of it. Since then, I've tried St George and was blown away by its complexity. When my North Shore runs out I'll be replacing it with a bottle of St George.

Has anyone compared St George to the Jades? I'd be interested in how they compare.

Dan

I'm hardly an expert on Absinthe, but I have had the St. George, and while I enjoy it a lot, it has a very distinctive character that I don't think of as traditional. Their use of unorthodox (afaik) herbs like mint and terragon gives a very culinary profile to it and while I like it a lot in a drip or frappe, I wouldn't think it was particularly well-suited to something like a Sazerac (if that type of versatility is important to you). Quite nice when you want something different that is not too hard on the budget (for Absinthe, that is).

[Peter Green]

In Denver last week I was overwhelmed by the quality of distilling being done by the Leopold Brothers, particularly their gin.

They also have an Absinthe Verte, and I found it in Joy, across the street from Fruition (we were waiting on a table). I saw the bottle, and snagged it (batch 31). By their label, they start with grape spirits and grande wormwood, adding in fennel, anise, and "proprietary botanicals".

Here's a section lifted from their web page www.leopoldbros.com

"Before the Absinthe Verte is bottled, it must undergo a coloring step. Many commercial absinthes are colored artificially. Ours is colored in the most traditional manner by placing our hand selected coloring herbs (Hyssop, Melissa, and Roman Wormwood) in cheesecloth and steeping the blend in warmed Absinthe Verte. These coloring herbs strengthen the floral aromas and citrusy undertones of the finished Absinthe Verte. The high alcohol content of the Absinthe Verte leaches chlorophyll from the plant material, turning it a wholly natural, vibrant green color that is similar to the gemstone Peridot. This unique hue is one of the reasons that French Impressionists of the Belle Époque took so strongly to traditionally prepared, handcrafted Absinthe Verte."

I need to get this back to Canada, so I can't open it yet. Needless to say, I'm quite excited. Impatient, but excited.

[Peter Green]

It's very good. But, at (I think) 68%, it does hit pretty hard.

A good drink to start (and end) the day).

These guys may be my favourite distillers.

[Peter Green]

As a comment for Canucks, I was sweating bullets about bringing in my collection of bottles from the US. But I knew I was better off declaring than being caught out.

But, after my one bottle allowance, this bottle of absinthe and another of New York Apple whiskey only set me back ten bucks in customs.

And Canada Customs was really apologetic about it; "You can't get this quality of stuff otherwise. We really shouldn't be charging anything."

Moral of story: be honest. You'll feel better about meeting some good people.

[KD1191]

Leopold Bros. is fantastic stuff, their gin is my favorite bar none. The Pisco-style brandy (which has not been sold in years, and these days is used as a base for the Absinthe, I'm told) is absolutely sublime.

I'll also agree regarding declaring. Would you rather be out a couple bucks, or the whole lot? US and Canada have different regulations, obviously, but I've brought back 12-24 bottles (mixed wine/liquor) on each of our last three trips abroad and have not had to pay a cent in duty thus far <knock wood>. Declared it all, and stated it was for personal consumption...was told to have a good day. YMMV.

[Chris Amirault]

Agreed about the Leopold Bros. absinthe. I brought some back in a (customs-free thus heavily weighted) suitcase following a trip to Hi-Time Wines in CA. The only thing I can compare it to is the Marteau, and though I loves me the Marteau... I think... I may... like the Leopold Bros. better. A few drops in just about anything is remarkable.

[Tri2Cook]

Other than tradition, is there any real reason for the full absinthe ritual? If you know what dilution rate you want for a particular absinthe and choose to use the sugar is there any reason you can't dissolve the correct amount of sugar in the correct amount of water, store it in the fridge and drip a measured amount into the absinthe minus the spoon and sugar cube? I realize there's no inconvenience involved with having the spoon and cube sitting there while the water drips, I'm just curious if it does more than simply provide an entertaining vehicle for dissolving the sugar.

[bostonapothecary]

Other than tradition, is there any real reason for the full absinthe ritual? If you know what dilution rate you want for a particular absinthe and choose to use the sugar is there any reason you can't dissolve the correct amount of sugar in the correct amount of water, store it in the fridge and drip a measured amount into the absinthe minus the spoon and sugar cube? I realize there's no inconvenience involved with having the spoon and cube sitting there while the water drips, I'm just curious if it does more than simply provide an entertaining vehicle for dissolving the sugar.

the ritual is largely symbolic.

all of these experiences (like all art) have a symbolic side and a sensory side. you can manipulate both (and you should!). the sensory side is all that anise & alcohol while the symbolic side is all those rituals, history, hallucinogenic myths, etc. everything your brain does to juggle the two sides is covered in the theory of cognitive dissonance.

people get hung up on the symbolic side of their experiences, but symbolism often stands in the way of sustainability and that is one of the greatest problems we face.

you can start with a simple question about an absinthe ritual and open a big can of worms.