Absinthe

Absinthe, which is a spirit traditionally derived from grand wormwood, anise and fennel, has a long and colorful history. While its origins remain unclear, the use of medicinal wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, absinthe was distributed by the French Army to its troops as a cure for several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them.Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers, absinthe eventually became associated with hallucinogenic effects. One critic claimed that absinthe would "make you crazy and criminal,"and that it would "provoke epilepsy and tuberculosis." In 1905, Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray murdered his family after consuming considerable quantities of wine, brandy and two glasses of absinthe. While Lanfray had a history of alcoholism, Swiss teetotalers seized the moment and passed a referendum making absinthe illegal. Similarly, absinthe was prohibited in the United States for nearly a century; from 1912 until 2007, absinthe was not allowed to be consumed on American soil.Corsair RED Absinthe is a unique interpretation on the classic green spirit. "Our company got going about the same time the U.S. ban was lifted, so it was one of those things where we said we could make a little and people would come and want to know about it," says Andrew Webber, the co-founder of Corsair Artisan Spirits. "Its one of the most uncommon absinthes made in the world, so people have found use for our product, and it has its own uses in mixology."Corsair RED is made using traditional absinthe ingredients, but is tweaked with some unusual additions, including citrus, tarragon, dragon wormwood (a relative of grand wormwood) and red hibiscus flowers. "We think of a good spirit as something like a musical chord made up of several notes," says Webber, noting that Corsair originally envisioned creating a more traditional absinthe. "Our early batches were missing a note in the chord. But when we added hibiscus, everything clicked." The hibiscus flowers give the absinthe its unusual red color, and add a floral note to the palate that is complemented by tangy citrus, herbal undertones and a spicy, peppery finish.Once the absinthe has been distilled, each bottle is filled, labeled and boxed by hand Corsairs small operation has no mechanized components. "We make less in a year than a big distillery spills in a day," says Clay Smith, Corsairs distillery manager. "Our products are extremely small batch, meaning that our largest run is 550 bottles."Pick up one of the most unique absinthes made today!

Prior to the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century, the French Army distributed absinthe to its troops as a to cure to several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. Following the end of the wars, the troops returned home and brought their taste for absinthe with them. The custom of drinking absinthe, which traditionally has a natural green color and is often called la fe verte (the "green fairy"), became so popular in French cafs that the hour of 5 p.m. was called lheure verte (the "green hour").In 1890, the Emile Pernot Distillery was founded in the city of Pontarlier, which is situated in the shadow of the Jura Mountains. At the time, the citys twenty-two distilleries were known for producing the finest absinthe in the world Pontarliers alpine climate provided the distilleries with exclusive access to herbs and spices available nowhere else. Following the French ban on absinthe in 1915, however, only two distilleries in the city survived each a testament to an industry that once dominated the region.Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Franaise Suprieure continues to be crafted in the city of Pontarlier using the distillerys original absinthe recipe. The absinthe is made from locally-grown Artemisia Absinthium (a type of wormwood), which is considered to be the finest in the world. In addition, the distillery uses green anise seeds and provenal fennel seed, together with a secret blend of other aromatic herbs and spices, in crafting the absinthe. Faithful to its original recipe, no artificial colors or sweeteners of any kind are added.Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Franaise Suprieure has a medium green color, along with an aroma of bright anise, alpine herbs and light wormwood. The aroma gives way to intense notes of spices, herbs, mint and wormwood on the palate, before finishing with a touch of anise and fennel.Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Franaise Suprieure is one of the most highly decorated spirits in the entire world. It earned a score of 92 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and a score of 94 points from Wine Enthusiast. In addition, it earned five stars from F. Paul Pacults Spirit Journal, which called it "the gold standard for the absinthe category."It also was rated one of the five best absinthes by Esquire, which said it was simply "as good as it gets."Pick up a bottle today!

Born in England in 1819, Joshua Norton was raised in South Africa and emigrated to the United States upon receiving a bequest of $40,000 from his fathers estate. Upon his arrival in the United States, Norton moved to San Francisco, and made his living investing in real estate. After making a large investment in Peruvian rice, however, Norton lost his fortune and left California.By the time Norton returned to San Francisco from his self-imposed exile, he had become disgruntled with the inadequacies of the federal government and declared himself Emperor of the United States:"At the peremptory request and desire of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I, Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last 9 years and 10 months past of S. F., Cal., declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these U.S.; and in virtue of the authority thereby in me vested, do hereby order and direct the representatives of the different States of the Union to assemble in Musical Hall, of this city, on the 1st day of Feb. next, then and there to make such alterations in the existing laws of the Union as may ameliorate the evils under which the country is laboring, and thereby cause confidence to exist, both at home and abroad, in our stability and integrity."As Emperor, Norton dressed in part Union and part Confederate attire ordered the dissolution of Congress (if only wishing made it so) and the construction of a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland. Despite his eccentricities and psychological condition, Californians adored Emperor Norton nearly 30,000 people packed the streets of San Francisco to pay homage to Norton upon his death in 1880.On Treasure Island a man-made island located between San Francisco and Oakland Raff Distillerie pays tribute to Americas first and only Emperor with Emperor Norton Absinthe Dieu.Carter Raff, master distiller at the eponymous distillery, has been distilling spirits for nearly his entire life and began experimenting with absinthe over 25 years ago. Emperor Norton Absinthe Dieu starts with brandy made from 100 percent California grapes, which Raff distills with absinthes three traditional ingredients grand wormwood, anise and fennel seed before adding Roman wormwood, hyssop and lemon balm. The result is an absinthe reminiscent of absinthes served in Paris over a century ago it has woody hints of wormwood, followed by gentle notes of anise and citrus undertones. After distillation, Raff fills and labels each bottle by hand.The custom of drinking absinthe which traditionally has a natural green color and is often called la fe verte, or the "green fairy"- gradually became so popular in bars, cafs, and cabarets that, by the 1860s, the hour of 5 p.m. was called lheure verte, or the "green hour". Enjoy lheure verte with a bottle of Emperor Norton Abinsthe Dieu!

Absinthe, which is a spirit traditionally derived from grand wormwood, anise and fennel, has a long and colorful history. While its origins remain unclear, the use of medicinal wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, absinthe was distributed by the French Army to its troops as a cure for several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them.Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers, absinthe became associated with hallucinogenic effects. One critic claimed that absinthe would "make you crazy and criminal," and that it would "provoke epilepsy and tuberculosis."In 1905, Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray murdered his family after consuming considerable quantities of wine, brandy and two glasses of absinthe. While Lanfray had a history of alcoholism, Swiss teetotalers seized the moment and passed a referendum making absinthe illegal. Similarly, absinthe was prohibited in the United States for nearly a century; from 1912 until 2007, absinthe was not allowed to be consumed on American soil.La Muse Verte is crafted from a traditional absinthe recipe that was originally created in the late 19th century and refined over the course of the next hundred years. The recipe calls for a secret blend of up to eight different ingredients, including fresh, organic grand wormwood (the wormwood is used within a few months of harvest). After each plant used in crafting the absinthe is harvested, it is steeped in a beet-based spirit for up to three weeks in order to extract the flavors, oils and texture of the plant. After the plants have been macerated, the absinthe is married together without the use sugar, artificial additives or coloring, and bottled at 136 proof the historical alcohol content of absinthes crafted centuries ago (the black bottle ensures that light does not spoil the color of the absinthe).La Muse Verte has a fresh, herbal aroma with hints of grass, licorice and citrus. The aroma gives way to a fluffy, coating texture that has notes of apples, herbs and peppermint, and ends with a spicy touch. The absinthe earned a score of 97 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2013 the highest score of any absinthe and was awarded the Chairmans Trophy.Pick up a bottle of a #1 absinthe today!

Absinthe, which is a spirit traditionally derived from Grande Wormwood, anise and fennel, has a long and colorful history. While its origins remain unclear, the use of medicinal wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, absinthe was distributed by the French Army to its troops as a cure for several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them. The popularity of absinthe grew, particularly among bohemian artists and writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde, all known to be absinthe drinkers.Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers, absinthe became associated with hallucinogenic effects. One critic claimed that absinthe would "make you crazy and criminal," and that it would "provoke epilepsy and tuberculosis." In 1905, Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray murdered his family after consuming considerable quantities of wine, brandy and two glasses of absinthe. While Lanfray had a history of alcoholism, teetotalers seized the moment and passed a referendum making absinthe illegal; it was not until 2007 that absinthe was allowed to be legally sold again.On March 5, 2007, Lucid Absinthe Suprieure became the first genuine absinthe to be legally available in the United States in nearly a century.A traditional French absinthe, it is made from Grande Wormwood (artemisia absinthium), European green anise and sweet fennel, along with a secret recipe of other whole herbs and spices (the absinthe is never cold mixed from industrial extracts or steam distilled essences or oils). In addition, the absinthe receives its traditional green color directly from the whole herbs used in the recipe; it is not colored with artificial colorants or chemicals as are some other verte-absinthes, and no sugar is added following distillation.Lucid Absinthe has a strong aroma of anise, cumin, fennel and sage that gives way to notes of roasted peanuts, walnuts, pine and salty tang on the palate. The finish is complex and lingering, with a touch of anise and fennel. The absinthe earned a score of 90 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, which named it the top absinthe in the world.Lucid Absinthe Suprieure is certified kosher by the Kashruth division of the Orthodox Union and is gluten-free. Pick up a bottle today!

Mansinthe Absinthe was created by the legendary rock star Marilyn Manson. The American rock star Marilyn Manson partnered with Markus Lion from ABSINTHE.DE and multiple award-winning Swiss specialty distillery Matter Luginbhl AG, to launch Mansinthe" in July 2007. Marilyn Manson was notorious for carrying around a glass of absinthe as his accessory for many years, and when he first decided to make his own, the absinthe received critical acclaim in 2008, receiving gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Marilyns Absinthe has aromas of wormwood and anise on the nose with subtle herbal, earthy aromas. The palate is a harmonious balance of wormwood, anise and spice. The finish is long and warming.Pick up your bottle today!

Absinthe, which is a spirit traditionally derived from wormwood, star anise and fennel, has a long and colorful history. While its origins remain unclear, the use of medicinal wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, absinthe was distributed by the French Army to its troops as a cure for several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them.A French doctor, Pierre Ordinaire, knew of absinthes medical benefits, and believed there could be a business in distilling the spirit commercially for non-medical purposes. Ordinaire did not know how to distill spirits, however, and looked to 21-year-old Swiss distiller Henri Louis-Pernod for help. They set up a distillery together in 1798, and by 1805 Pernod had opened his own distillery in Pontarlier, France, exporting absinthe to the U.S. as early as 1827.The popularity of absinthe grew, particularly among bohemian artists and writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde, all known to be absinthe drinkers. By the mid-1800s absinthe had established itself as a pre-dinner drink throughout parts of Europe to be enjoyed during The Green Hour, which referred to the spirits vivid hue.Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers, absinthe became associated with hallucinogenic effects. One critic claimed that absinthe would "make you crazy and criminal," and that it would "provoke epilepsy and tuberculosis." In 1905, Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray murdered his family after consuming considerable quantities of wine, brandy and two glasses of absinthe. While Lanfray had a history of alcoholism, teetotalers seized the moment and passed a referendum making absinthe illegal; it was not until 2007 that absinthe was allowed to be legally sold again.Pernod Absinthe is still produced following the traditional processes that were used in the original distillery of Henri-Louis Pernod. Local wormwood and the green anise are distilled after maceration in a neutral wine spirit base. Following distillation, the heart cut is macerated again in star anise, Melissa, petite wormwood, hyssop and a mixture of herbs kept secret by the distillery in Thuir, France that give the spirit its beautiful green color.Long floral notes linger on the nose followed by a palate of star anise, vanilla and hyssop. The finish is slightly spicy with a hint of wormwood.Pick up a bottle today!

Founded in 1982 by German-born Joerg Rupf, St. George Spirits is one of the oldest craft distilleries in the United States. The distillery, housed in an old World War II airplane hangar on a former naval base on the edge of San Francisco, is home to Lance Winters, mad scientist and St. Georges master distiller. Winters, who is widely-known for experimenting with different types of spirits, has a laboratory dominated by a 10-liter test still in addition to the glass beakers and graduated cylinders that cover every inch of his counter space. Next to the dusty chalkboards caked with equations for the conversion of sugar to alcohol and intricate diagrams of molecular structures are bottles of experimental whiskies, vodkas and even an aging balsamic vinegar (its 14 years old already).In 1996, Winters began experimenting with the distillation of absinthe using a recipe he found in Scientific American (while it was illegal to sell absinthe until 2007 in the United States, the law was not extended to the distillation of absinthe). For eleven years, Winters tinkered with the recipe looking to find the perfect balance of ingredients in order to "create a symphony of flavor,"he says. "It was just a manic obsession with the ingredients that drove me to tweak the formula."As the ban on the sale of absinthe was being repealed, Winters finally perfected his recipe and in 2007, he released the first American-made absinthe in almost a century."The key to the process of making absinthe,"Winters says, "is to use a two-step process."First, Winters distills a grape-based brandy together with grand wormwood, anise and fennel through a 1,500-liter copper-pot still. Then, Winters infuses the absinthe with a secret blend of botanicals, including lemon balm, hyssop, mint, opal basil and tarragon.As a result of this recipe, St. George Absinthe has a heady, herbaceous aroma, with hints of citrus, anise and fennel. The aroma opens up to notes of meadowsweet, tarragon and hyssop on the palate, and the addition of water creates an opalescent louche that subtly brings out the flavor of the lemon balm.St. George Absinthe Verte earned the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2010 and was called "one of the most eloquent absinthes on the market today."Pick up a bottle today!