![]() In the U.S., the French population of New Orleans meant it rapidly became associated with absinthe consumption, and absinthe as a result is considered an integral ingredient (albeit in a very small dose) in the city’s signature cocktail, the Sazerac.Īs absinthe exploded in popularity across mainland Europe, though, it also became a target of demonization and smear campaigns. It was an unusually cosmopolitan beverage, being popular among a range of social classes, although it eventually developed a reputation as a drink of choice among artists, creatives and bohemians … something that would eventually be a major factor in the spirit’s demonization. By the mid-1800s, absinthe had become quite popular indeed, especially in mainland Europe, where France and Switzerland in particular became known as centers of absinthe production and consumption. Unsurprisingly, purists would consider this to be cheating.ĭistilled spirits containing anise or wormwood date back, like so many other spirits, to the work of pioneering alchemists and chemists in the Middle Ages, but the first recorded appearances of absinthe-like liquors occurred in the late 1700s and early 1800s, as many other liquor styles were concurrently taking shape. The green color of absinthe, then, is classically a result of this second maceration with herbs such as petite wormwood and hyssop-the liquor is literally green because of chlorophyll from those plants, resulting in the absinthe nickname “the green fairy.” Cheaper “absinthe,” meanwhile is sometimes what is known as “cold-mixed absinthe,” which is not macerated with herbs, but rather just a strong neutral grain spirit mixed with flavoring essences. This spirit can then be bottled, which is referred to as blanche absinthe, or it can take on the style’s signature green color via either artificial coloring, or a second maceration with whole herbs, which is considered traditional. The spirit is then distilled again, often to a fairly high level of 70% ABV or more, which yields a clear, non-colored spirit. Botanicals, including aniseed and wormwood, are macerated (steeped) in distilled alcohol, which infuses the alcohol with those flavors. Traditional, high-quality absinthe, however, was typically produced via a combination of maceration and distillation. ![]() ![]() Most countries have no specific legal definition for absinthe, which means that its production has historically varied. In this sense, absinthe bears some similarity to gin-it’s a neutral spirit that is flavored by its botanical infusions during distillation and maceration, but true absinthe is differentiated by a focus on anise-like flavors and the presence of wormwood, as well as what is typically a higher proof point. Other herbs and spices are likewise used in classical absinthe production, including sweet fennel, hyssop, peppermint, coriander, angelica and many others. In the simplest of definitions, “absinthe” describes a potent alcoholic spirit, often distilled between 45-74% ABV (90-148 proof), that is flavored with anise and artemisia absinthium, better known as “grand wormwood” or just “wormwood.” When we say “anise,” we’re specifically talking about green anise, also known as aniseed, rather than the spice known as star anise, although it may additionally be used. Absinthe has had a tough existence, including bans in many countries that lasted almost a century, but today the green-tinted spirit is again growing and thriving as part of the modern microdistillery and mixology scene.īut what is absinthe, exactly? How is it made? Where and why was it banned? How is it consumed? And how has it persistently maintained such an exotic reputation? Read on, and find out how absinthe has returned stronger than ever. There are few spirits with more mythological power in their names than “absinthe.” Revered, demonized, feared and consistently misunderstood, it’s actually a fairly broad category of liquor-one with a pop-cultural depiction that has often cast absinthe in a sickly green light, as a ruiner of homes or gateway to psychedelic hallucinations. Check out every entry in the series to date. Cocktail Queries is a Paste series that examines and answers basic, common questions that drinkers may have about mixed drinks, cocktails and spirits.
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