Absinthe

[Vassago]

Any of our Brit Friends indulge themself on the "Green Fairy"?

I was buying a bottle and having it imported from the Czech Republic as the laws in our country are very vague. I know one of my friends claims he was able to buy without any problems. The law seems to be that it's illegal to sell or produce in the US, but it's okay to buy from another country for personal use only. We have our watered down versions with only contain 3 mg/kg of Thujone, but I want a more authentic version to try.

Anyone care to share expereinces they have had? What kind did you try?

 

[John Big Booty]

There are a large number of Absinthes commercially available in Australia, despite the fact that the importation of goods containing oil of wormwood is prohibited. This has lead me to question the amount, if any, of this chemical that is present in modern absinth (at least the stuff available here). Otherwise it is being mis-declared at the border.

I have a number of bottles of absinth in my bar, and my preference is to drink a standard pastis with ice water and a dash of simple syrup or grenadine, rather that any of the absinthes.

 

[Vassago]

Interesting. I was reading that the maximum allowed in Australia is 7 mg/kg, not much more than the US. It seems most European countries allow 35 mg/kg as indeed most Absinthe produced today is roughly around this amount. The original forms of Absinthe tended to contain upwards of 100+ mg/kg, which probably helped give it a larger bite, but a more bitter taste.

There seems to be one brand I have found online that contains 100 mg/kg, and that's King of Spirits Gold, sells for about $200, over twice the original King Of Spirits with about 30 mg/kg. Decisions decisions.

 

[John Big Booty]

I'll certainly look forward to reading your comments once you do get your hands on some.

I've got four different varieties, from memory. I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I purchased any of them, but they have become little more than expensive curiosities. Perhaps it requires the addition of a little laudanum

 

[John Big Booty]

Well this thread has caused me to revisit the Anise section of my bar. I found that it contained four different Absinthes and four anises. There were three French Absinthes and one from the Czech Republic. I then had a bottle each of Pernod, Ricard, Ouzo Plomari, and Galliano Black Sambuca.

Pére Kermann’s Absinthe, 60% ABV, green blue in colour. This one had quite a sweet vanilla aniseed nose that put me in mind of Galliano Liqueur. The addition of water caused a slight hazing but no clouding.

Czech Absinth (I had trouble identifying the producer), 60% ABV, pale green blue in colour. This one was quite spirituous on the nose. Once again the addition of water caused only a slight hazing and but no clouding.

Plantes Absente, 55% ABV, pale green yellow in colour. This one had an aniseed nose. This was the only Absinthe that clouded, with the addition of water, if only slightly.

Pernod Absinthe, 68% ABV, pale yellow in colour. Once again the addition of water caused only a slight hazing and but no clouding.

Pernod, 40% ABV, yellow green in colour, Surprisingly the Pernod did not cloud with the addition of water, I’m sure I’ve seen Pernod cloud when water is added. Perhaps it has deteriorated with age.

Ricard, 45% ABV, brown in colour, heavy clouding with the addition of water.

Ouzo Plomari, 40% ABV, clear, heavy clouding with the addition of water.

As you can see from my notes it was quite a difficult task to distinguish the different characters of the drinks, even trying to refresh my nose by sniffing fresh coffee grounds between each drink, the aniseed and spirit was just too overwhelming. It got even worse once I got to tasting the different drinks, the strong aniseed flavour and spirit of the first Absinthe I tried (the Pére Kermann) just burnt out my palette and I was unable to detect much beyond the overriding flavour of aniseed from there on. For some reason that escapes me know I didn’t include the black sambuca in the comparison.

 

[Luddite Lad]

You two Absinthe enthusiasts might be interested in this site they seem to supply all manner of Absinthe and accessories

 

[KalelGmoon]

I live in the US in Kansas of all places and have been wanting to try absinthe as well. I have found a local liquor store that carries it, but am not sure of the content and where it is from. am hoping it is at least decent for my first time trying it. will let you all know

 

[Vassago]

I live in the US in Kansas of all places and have been wanting to try absinthe as well. I have found a local liquor store that carries it, but am not sure of the content and where it is from. am hoping it is at least decent for my first time trying it. will let you all know

Any absinthe sold in the US by law can contain little or no thujone, which is the chemical derived from wormwood. Most liqour stores in the US carry one of these US made absinthe variations. These products are not true absinthe by any means and should be avoided because the taste is awful!