Grand Absente Absinthe Reintroduced in US

The first legal absinthes, Grand Absente and Absente Absinthe Refined, are finally available again in the U.S. Full details on this historical release are below.

Over the past few years, absinthe has been re-emerging in the US, going from simply being known as the beloved drink of many artists during the Belle Epoque Era in France, to be tasted and appreciated by an always growing group of aficionados. Among the varieties of absinthes that are currently on the market, there are Grande Absente and Absente Absinthe Refined, made by following one of the oldest recipes dating back to 1860.

Absente is produced at Distilleries et Domaines de Provence in the South of France, an area rich of wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) thanks to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps. The main element of wormwood is thujone, which gives the herb its bitterness, and it is also the component that has been wrongly accused to give hallucinations back in the 1800. It is important to distinguish this Wormwood – also known as Grand Wormwood - from Southern Wormwood, which is a smaller one that was used in the very first years when absinthe was re-introduced on the market (1999-2005), because it has less quantity of thujone. Today, the approved level of thujone is 9.5ml per liter.

Added to wormwood, there are 8 botanicals, such as: mugwort, anise, peppermint and lemon balm, just to name a few. The result is a very aromatic and intense taste, with a dominance of herbs and a spicy and bitter a finish. The ingredients are steeped and/or distilled and they are prepared in advance to be then mixed at the time of production. This step allows the distillery to control the thujone content of all the products.

Grande Absente and Absente Absinthe Refined are both made following traditions and the original recipe, but each comes with its own characteristics. Absente Absinthe Refined is less concentrated in wormwood, less strong in alcohol (110 proof) and it already has sugar in it, which gives a sweeter taste, so it is perfect to be drank alone or as ingredient in a cocktail. Grande Absente, on the other hand, is the closest to the original recipe, with its 138 proof, it doesn’t contain sugar and has a more herbaceous taste, hence it’s best to be enjoyed in the traditional way with the absinthe spoon and the sugar cube.

How to properly drink Absente: pour 2oz of absinthe in a glass, place an absinthe spoon with a sugar cube on top of the glass, pour 2 oz of water, stir and drink. The addition of cold water is very important as it allows the herbs to “blossom,” bringing out many of the flavors that could be overpowered by the anise. It is now that the crystal-clear liquid turns cloudy and vaguely opalescent, an effect to which we refer as louche.

Absente – Absinthe Refined has a suggested retail price of $45 and Grande Absente of $75 for a bottle of 750ml. Both are distributed on American and Canadian markets.