Absintheurs

What is your verte(s) of choice? I'd go with Duplais, or perhaps Berthe de Joux.

I'd like to know if anyone else is into Absinthe. I've never tried it, but always had a fascination with the green stuff.
Recommend a good starter and where to find it?

I tried it for the first time last year but since I was in a bar I never got a good look at the bottle and I just don't remember the name. What I do remember is that we went through the whole ritual of melting the sugar cube and adding ice cold water to create the louche. Thought the taste was great, very light and herbal, easy to drink.

As much as I WANT to like absinthe, I just don't. I love the history of the drink, and I love that it comes with its own elaborate ritual, but it just doesn't taste good to me. I'll stick with my beer, scotch, and bourbon, and gin.

I'm really excited to try it when I turn 21 this summer. ...Probably won't try it that night or anything... but hopefully before summer comes to a close. Like invisable I've never tried it, but have been fascinated with it... as well as my unconsummated affair with alcohol of every type.

Vieux Pontarlier from Tempus fugit spirits
Belle Amie
Roquette 1797
Kubler Absinthe Supérieure-Blanche
Perroquet vieillie en fût de chêne (Barrel aged)
MARTEAU Absinthe de la Belle Époque

Got hooked on this stuff around 2002 when a friend brought some back from Switzerland and parts of France. How she got them in I did not ask but on occassion throughout the years then they slowly brought it back in the US. Now have the glasses, spoons, drippers and it is very tasty. Nice way to relax on occassion. Funny I hate the taste of licorice but this stuff and Pastis I enjoy. My Pastis go-to's are;
Pontarlier-Anis
Pastis Henri Bardouin
Ricard in pinch

And anyone who light his aflame should be whipped!

Ethan.Bassist. said:

I'm really excited to try it when I turn 21 this summer. ...Probably won't try it that night or anything... but hopefully before summer comes to a close. Like invisable I've never tried it, but have been fascinated with it... as well as my unconsummated affair with alcohol of every type.

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If by NW you mean Seattle I used to live in Queen Anne when I was stationed up there in USCG and can highly advise the following for a night of absinthe and burlesque. Pink Door has been around awhile and the other recent and last i visited had a grand time.

Pink Door Cabaret
Zig Zag Café
Can Can Cabaret

And for cocktail heaven Tini Bigs ! Way to close from where I lived I almost thought it was my living room!

You can't get real absinthe here in Norway, as the contents are classified as illegal narcotics, so I never really bothered to try any.

I wonder if there any truth to the legend of 'Meeting the Green Fairy' (used to describe the curious effects of the green liquor) in Absinthe?

The only thing I know about Absinthe is what I learned from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

Christopher "What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?" Oscar Wilde

Attached Images - Preparing absinthe the traditional way & 'The Green Fairy'.

King of Spirits Gold is my favorite.

I like kubler, as it is reasonably priced and available in a store near me. Lucid is decent and also pretty well stocked in a few liqour stores. Pernod is good, but of the lot the most expensive.

Bohemian Le Fee Verte is pretty lousy, as is Mephisto and Le Tourment Verte.

Le Tourment Verte I took it back to the store and demanded my money back as I swear it was overpriced Scope mouthwash!

My wife & I have been buying Absinthe for maybe the last 6 months. I'll have to look at the labels for which ones we like best.
I know you couldn't get it in the US for a long time & we've only seen it relatively recently. The last time I was purchasing it the store owner mentioned the the Absinthe in the US is not the same as you can get in Europe. He said it was watered down with neutral grained spirits.
Does anyone know if that is true? Is what is available in the US different from Europe?

I prefer Pastis. "Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder"-Groucho Marx

http://wormwoodsociety.org/

http://www.absintheonline.com/index.html

http://absinthebuyersguide.com/guide.html

http://www.tempusfugitspirits.com/

The wormwood isn't in most even in Europe. It also doesn't have the effects most people think it does. It isn't like LSD or something, it gives a light buzz but hardly noticeable.

Tis not the Wormwood I believe tis the HIGH Alcohol volume! I tell anyone past three glasses and you better have cab!.
Most I see also "gulp" the thing down like a shot! It is to be slowly enjoyed with good company, conversation, and either a fine cigar or a pipe (my view).

I have a bottle of Le Tourment Vert, and its nice for a change of pace, and thats about it. Strong stuff to be sure, but its just does not taste good IMO. If I just wanted to get drunk fast and did not care about the taste I could drink Steel Reserve malt liquor. Though its worthy to note that steel Reserve does not come in such an AMAZING bottle.



As for the question about American Absinthe being different from the European, I have heard this rummer but dont know if its true. What I do know is that in a Food channel segment about it, the makers they found said that most of the original recipes and production techniques were lost when the drink fell out of production. Most modern Absinthe was formulated by trying to copy older vintages.

Crowort said:

The wormwood isn't in most even in Europe. It also doesn't have the effects most people think it does. It isn't like LSD or something, it gives a light buzz but hardly noticeable.

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+1 its more a shade of not 100% sober than a real buzz. Something feels off, and its not unpleasant, but its hardly noteworthy.

The Count of Merkur Cristo said:

I wonder if there any truth to the legend of 'Meeting the Green Fairy' (used to describe the curious effects of the green liquor) in Absinthe?

The only thing I know about Absinthe is what I learned from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

Christopher

"What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?" Oscar Wilde

Attached Images - Preparing absinthe the traditional way & 'The Green Fairy'.

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The bad hallucinogenic effects were caused because they used to add Copper Sulfate I believe... to give it that green hue. It's safe now.

fenian said:

If by NW you mean Seattle I used to live in Queen Anne when I was stationed up there in USCG and can highly advise the following for a night of absinthe and burlesque. Pink Door has been around awhile and the other recent and last i visited had a grand time.

Pink Door Cabaret
Zig Zag Café
Can Can Cabaret

And for cocktail heaven Tini Bigs ! Way to close from where I lived I almost thought it was my living room!

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Dude, I live in Oregon, but my friend lives there (literally at the very top of Queen Anne Hill.. He's moving back down here next weekend actually) so I've been there quite a bit, but I've heard of the Pink Door and heard it's really cool, so maybe I'll check it out when we go up there for my 21st!

OLDMAN said:

I just heard about this stuff while watching Modern Marvels on the History Channel about distillers - I though I hear them say it was sill illegal in the US?

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If I understand correctly it has just recently become legal... 2007 or something I think.