23 Nov 2009
By Paul Mitchell
No product in the liquor business has such a storied and controversial history as has absinthe. The resurgence of real wormwood absinthe since the early 2000's has coincided with the revival of cocktail culture resulting in a huge interest in this mystical drink. The myths surrounding the liquor include that it can lead to hallucinations, delusions, insanity, clarity of vision, and many other psychological enhancements. Jagermeister, another trendy liqueur, was once coincidentally also proported to offer similar effects -- and look how popular that spirit is today! But absinthe's history stretches back hundreds of years and was hugely popular among influential artists of a grander age only to be universally banned. After a century of bannishment, the Green Fairy has slowly started to appear back on store shelves and restaurant bars. So what happened recently to created this resurgance? And what is the big deal with absinthe anyway?
Absinthe is a liqueur created from a variety of herbal ingredients including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood". Straight from the bottle, absinthe is usually eerily green in colour, leading back to historical references as the Green Fairy. Mixed with clear, cold water through a sugar cube (those really cool spoons!) or most famously used as a glass rinse for New Orleans' famous Sazerac cocktail, absinthe features a distinct and unmistakable flavour that might not appeal to all. Absinthe's overall profile is one of anisette (black licorice) but with sharper, more midicinal tones. Several other liquors (sambucca, made from aniseed, or pastis which are made from the evergreen's star anise fruit), are similar, but do not capture the true essence of absinthe. Distilled at 60%, the spirit needs to be cut with water and sugar to get to a more drinkable potentcy, yet it still retains an intense flavour that is distinctly absinthe. A "louche" effect is created with the water as the liquor transforms from a transparent green or clear to an opaque, cloudy white colour. It is spectacular to behold. The "louche" is one reason people embody the spirit with ritual and passionate loyalty.
Images of fairies and mysticism are strongly associated with absinth as can be gleaned from historical posters and other works of art that no doubt helped to build a greater fascination with the drink. Absinthe was extremely popular in 18th and 19th century France, percisely at the time when many art movements were gaining notoriety. Poets, artists and "bohemian culture" adored the drink, openly celebrating its virtues in their work. At the same time, the drink was decried by more conservative members of society for its connection with decadence and its wormwood link to insanity. Part of the excess attributed to absinthe's followers should more properly be connected with general alcoholism and personal eccentrities, but absinthe's legacy and link was established and has remained ever since.
Banned in the majority of the Unitied States and Canada throughout the 20th century due to containing "grand wormwood", several forms of absinthe have slowly started to creep back onto the market. The reasons has been that modern production has been able to moderate the ill-effects of wormwood through several means. Eastern European producers (Czech) were able to create light versions without the controversial herb, while more traditional countries of origin like France and Switzerland (check out Lucid Absinthe), have been able to either substitute a less toxic version, or process the wormwood to minimize its potency. Due to the tradition of using tradional ingredients and methodology, the Western European varieties are deemed to have better structure and authenticity among critics.
British Columbia's Okanagan Spirits offers the only domestic absinthe, and adheres to the traditional means and incredients. It is very intense, even after mixing, but is quite enjoyable for those who enjoy bold flavours, especially of black licorice. It is definintely not for the feint-of-heart, but should be tried by all, even if only for the novelty of the experience. Some people will be intrigued by the history of the drink or the rumours of its "mystical powers" and there is certainly a good reason for that. While the distribution of absinthe remains obscure for the meantime, it retains its mysterious qualities. However, once a broader range of people explore its flavours, absinthe will become a mainstay for most bar inventories, albeit one that will enjoy only a small but dedicated following.
Please Visit:
http://www.okanaganspirits.com/buy-absinthe-canada/index.html
No product in the liquor business has such a storied and controversial history as has absinthe. The resurgence of real wormwood absinthe since the early 2000's has coincided with the revival of cocktail culture resulting in a huge interest in this mystical drink. The myths surrounding the liquor include that it can lead to hallucinations, delusions, insanity, clarity of vision, and many other psychological enhancements. Jagermeister, another trendy liqueur, was once coincidentally also proported to offer similar effects -- and look how popular that spirit is today! But absinthe's history stretches back hundreds of years and was hugely popular among influential artists of a grander age only to be universally banned. After a century of bannishment, the Green Fairy has slowly started to appear back on store shelves and restaurant bars. So what happened recently to created this resurgance? And what is the big deal with absinthe anyway?
Absinthe is a liqueur created from a variety of herbal ingredients including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood". Straight from the bottle, absinthe is usually eerily green in colour, leading back to historical references as the Green Fairy. Mixed with clear, cold water through a sugar cube (those really cool spoons!) or most famously used as a glass rinse for New Orleans' famous Sazerac cocktail, absinthe features a distinct and unmistakable flavour that might not appeal to all. Absinthe's overall profile is one of anisette (black licorice) but with sharper, more midicinal tones. Several other liquors (sambucca, made from aniseed, or pastis which are made from the evergreen's star anise fruit), are similar, but do not capture the true essence of absinthe. Distilled at 60%, the spirit needs to be cut with water and sugar to get to a more drinkable potentcy, yet it still retains an intense flavour that is distinctly absinthe. A "louche" effect is created with the water as the liquor transforms from a transparent green or clear to an opaque, cloudy white colour. It is spectacular to behold. The "louche" is one reason people embody the spirit with ritual and passionate loyalty.
Images of fairies and mysticism are strongly associated with absinth as can be gleaned from historical posters and other works of art that no doubt helped to build a greater fascination with the drink. Absinthe was extremely popular in 18th and 19th century France, percisely at the time when many art movements were gaining notoriety. Poets, artists and "bohemian culture" adored the drink, openly celebrating its virtues in their work. At the same time, the drink was decried by more conservative members of society for its connection with decadence and its wormwood link to insanity. Part of the excess attributed to absinthe's followers should more properly be connected with general alcoholism and personal eccentrities, but absinthe's legacy and link was established and has remained ever since.
Banned in the majority of the Unitied States and Canada throughout the 20th century due to containing "grand wormwood", several forms of absinthe have slowly started to creep back onto the market. The reasons has been that modern production has been able to moderate the ill-effects of wormwood through several means. Eastern European producers (Czech) were able to create light versions without the controversial herb, while more traditional countries of origin like France and Switzerland (check out Lucid Absinthe), have been able to either substitute a less toxic version, or process the wormwood to minimize its potency. Due to the tradition of using tradional ingredients and methodology, the Western European varieties are deemed to have better structure and authenticity among critics.
British Columbia's Okanagan Spirits offers the only domestic absinthe, and adheres to the traditional means and incredients. It is very intense, even after mixing, but is quite enjoyable for those who enjoy bold flavours, especially of black licorice. It is definintely not for the feint-of-heart, but should be tried by all, even if only for the novelty of the experience. Some people will be intrigued by the history of the drink or the rumours of its "mystical powers" and there is certainly a good reason for that. While the distribution of absinthe remains obscure for the meantime, it retains its mysterious qualities. However, once a broader range of people explore its flavours, absinthe will become a mainstay for most bar inventories, albeit one that will enjoy only a small but dedicated following.
Please Visit:
http://www.okanaganspirits.com/buy-absinthe-canada/index.html
