![]() In 1998 dubious quality spirit flavoured with essential oils and coloured with additives spread from the Czech Republic to markets such as the UK. Unlike, it could be said, the first wave witnessed in some markets more than a decade ago. The absinthe renaissance in the past few years has been more about the re-establishment of hand-crafted spirits true to the French and Swiss traditions. It has launched Rotweisser, a 30% abv wormwood herbal liqueur to multiple international markets. It seems Straight Up Drinks has been listening. The challenge is to get a herbal absinthe that could work at a lower abv – something like a 30%-35% – an absinthe light.” ![]() But 45% for operators is very much on the high side of what they want to sell. “Genuine absinthe needs to have an abv of higher than 45% to keep the herbs in solution. “The abv is a stumbling block for the producer,” says Jeremy Hill, chairman of Hi-Spirits and co-founder of Czech-produced absinthe Sebor. The alcohol content, which is commonly 50%-70%, is indeed an issue. However, the flavour profile and high proof make the absinthe category an acquired taste for some.” “Pernod Absinthe specifically has a rich history via its association with the arts as it inspired artists and writers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Juli Falkoff, brand director of Pernod Absinthe at Pernod Ricard USA, argues that absinthe’s selling point is not just about the liquid, it can be the back-story too. Blanche absinthe is the clear spirit produced at the end of the process, while verte involves an added period of herb steeping for extra colour and flavour. They are either distilled with the spirit or macerated after. The herbs used are often, though not always, predicated on the ‘holy trinity’ combination of wormwood, anise and fennel. To simplify, absinthe comes in two major forms, blanche – traditionally the Swiss style – and verte – more associated with France. The French and Swiss distillers have a historical pedigree and it’s a category with regional character.” Hutton echoes the point: “Proper absinthe is a premium spirit made from pot stills and is expensively produced. “Absinthe has its own unique character and properties which set it apart from other spirits,” says La Fée’s managing director and owner George Rowley. If hallucinations of green fairies are no longer the pull for consumers, what is? But while the psychoactive myth was indeed a curse to the category and led to its ban, its departure leaves absinthe rather short on differentiation. So in that sense, absinthe is a spirit like any other. ![]() Chemists have analysed that dangerous levels of thujone are actually very difficult to achieve by proper distillation because there’s just not that much in the plants.” “We worked out that to get a cumulative dose of thujone you would have to drink 40 70cl bottles – which you couldn’t because you would die of alcohol poisoning. Ian Hutton, absinthe historian and owner of Liqueurs de France, dispels the oft-mooted mind altering effects of absinthe. Reportedly talks about creating a protected and defined status for the spirit are abreast in the EU, with a vote expected to take place later this year.Ĭonsumer perception is the last obstacle to category credibility. ![]() If consumers in these markets re-embrace their distilling heritage, absinthe’s prowess could once again be unlocked. But it is in the motherlands of France and Switzerland that the category’s liberty could matter most. Over the past seven years, bans have been lifted across absinthe’s traditional markets of Europe and America. In May last year, the final statute preventing the sale of labelled absinthe was removed in France making the category fully legitimate. With the anti-absinthe propaganda campaign ending, brands will be hoping for a fairy tale beginning. The period of government-dragooned illegitimacy – a reaction to absinthe’s so-called psychoactive powers – is over, and there’s a new wave of liberated producers pushing the category forward. In 2012, absinthe is facing its first full year of recognition as a global spirits category since the early 20th century. THE FORTUNES OF THE GREEN FAIRY are finally looking up. ![]()
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