Martini Groove

Cocktail great, Jamie Boudreau, shows us the finer parts of Absinthe service.

If you're drinking absinthe at this point, there are a limited number of reasons for it.  Some people just want to try it because of the mystique or because it's a new drink, other's have a love of black jelly beans, and the rests are the purists.  The one's who want a real absinthe and create something new with it.  Obsello Absinthe is for those purists that want a great, traditional Absinthe. The Story Obsello is the real thing, not a chemical creation that is taking advantage of the trend.  It's a Spanish absinthe that actually is distilled from grapes, the original stuff they made absinthe from all those years ago.  They also distill their own herbs and use Alicante Anise, only the best for you.  Just like a winemaker pours his heart and soul and best ingredients in to his fine wine, the folks at Obsello are bringing that same passion to absinthe.  Natural ingredients, well thought-out flavors, and Grand Wormwood.  Cuz, it's absinthe. T...

Absinthe's new role as this year's vodka rolls on.  The crew behind Lovejoy Vodka and 12 Bridges Gin in Portland (you see the theme?) are sending off their latest addition to the spirits world, Trillium Absinthe.  These guys have done a lights out job with their vodka and gin and I have no shortage of expectation for this absinthe, along the same lines as the stellar St. George.  It's small batch, all-natural (so they're earning their green glow).  Hopefully it does well with the bars because buying liquor in Portland is a pain in the ass. Pernod Ricard is launching their absinthe that they sold back in the 1800's and stopped making in 1915.  They're reviving the recipe and pushing it out to a happy, happy world.  Trillium Absinthe - No pricing announced Pernod Absinthe - US$75 for 750ml

Only 8 months after real absinthe has become legalized in the U.S., the importers and overseas producers have really started taking advantage of the buzz and mystique that absinthe holds and launching like crazy here. With more absinthe launches than vodka lately, it may not be long until the brands are just as gimmicky. Three new absinthe's have launched this week in hopes of garnering early market share in a soon-to-be-crowded market. La Fee Absinthe Parisienne is made in Paris and has been around for a while as it's been sold in 20 countries for the last 10 years or so. The product is made by traditional standards and the owner of the recipe still approves each batch of La Fee. For a while, Lucid Absinthe was the only one you could get in the US as it wasn't made from the traditional Grand Wormwood (until March of 2007) so it could get away with going around the law. The producers guessed that the stuff that was considered a fake (but still very flavorful) wasn'...

Now that they figured out that all the junk about Absinthe making you cut your ear off and making you have a mistress was mostly because people were just really drunk and not hallucinating, it seems that everyone's trying to get their hands on Absinthe. The problem is that the people that are making the good stuff, like St. George, aren't making enough of the good stuff. Companies are finally starting to get on the bandwagon and getting their Wormwood in to the US market. Absinthe Mata Hari is the Austrian company that's working on national distribution of their all-natural Absinthe. The formula has been around since 1881 and it's loaded with Thujone and Absinthin. The nice thing about the natural ones is that they get the nice louche effect, so it becomes good and cloudy. Mata Hari is launching in the Midwest first, including Texas, Louisiana, and Missouri up through Indiana. You should see it start selling for around US$40. Mata Hari

Taylor in Manhattan is another one of those places that is an incredible bar that is also trying to do food, but not that well. The bar is top-notch however and they've come up with gummi bears made from Absinthe to compliment some of their house cocktails. The gummi bear is 85% Absinthe with just a bit of gelatin and sugar to keep it in it's gummi shape. Now I know what to hand out this year at Halloween. Absinthe Gummi Bears at Taylor

As with any drink that has been around for a long time, Absinthe is steeped in history, tradition, and extreme headaches. Now that the licorice flavored herbal drink is legal in the US and we can expect a big rush for The Green Fairy, at least initially, it might be good to learn how to drink the stuff. Wikihow has an article with everything you need to know about Absinthe. From how to select the right one (louche effect!), the different preparation methods for drinking it (glass in a glass for me), and how to not cut off your ear. How to drink Absinthe Absinthe FAQ

You can get Absinthe in the US but you have to order it from Europe and get it shipped here at ridiculous prices and wait for a long time. This is widely regarded as a "pain in the ass." Lucid Absinthe is set to begin shipping next month to locations throughout the US. They were able to pass regulatory muster by getting rid of all the thujone (the banned ingredient) in their product. However, they were able to use certain European herbs in order to make up for the taste difference. So, you can finally bring Absinthe to the party and be the toast of the ball. One of the unintended side-effects of Absinthe coming to the US though, will be a significant reduction in posts from Liquor Snob , they can't seem to keep their hands off the stuff. Keep an eye on their site for a liquor store selling it near you. Lucid Absinthe - US$59.95 Edit: Erik added some comments that fleshed out the Thujone issue as well as some Absinthe background.