| The Absinthe Ritual III The Louche Effect and the Taste of Vintage Absinthe |
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To drink a pre-ban absinthe from 1910, from the era of Toulouse Lautrec and Van Gogh, of Verlaine and Rimbaud is an
extraordinary and life enhancing experience - this is truly, in Conrad's words, history in a bottle - one has the feeling of
reaching back like a time traveller into the distant past, and feeling for just a moment a flicker of the warmth of a summer's
day on a Parisian boulevard a century ago.
The pictures here document the louche of a number of well preserved vintage absinthes. As you'll see, there is considerable
variety both in the colour, and in the opacity of the louche. These absinthes were naturally chlorophyllically coloured and have
generally faded to a light brown or amber tint, just as leaves turn in the fall. Interestingly though, when iced water is added and
the absinthe begins to louche, a hint of the original green colour often magically reappears.
extraordinary and life enhancing experience - this is truly, in Conrad's words, history in a bottle - one has the feeling of
reaching back like a time traveller into the distant past, and feeling for just a moment a flicker of the warmth of a summer's
day on a Parisian boulevard a century ago.
The pictures here document the louche of a number of well preserved vintage absinthes. As you'll see, there is considerable
variety both in the colour, and in the opacity of the louche. These absinthes were naturally chlorophyllically coloured and have
generally faded to a light brown or amber tint, just as leaves turn in the fall. Interestingly though, when iced water is added and
the absinthe begins to louche, a hint of the original green colour often magically reappears.
Extrait d'Absinthe E.Albado, Habana. Circa 1930
Pre-Castro Cuba had a considerable history of absinthe production - Hemingway drank it there, and used to stock up on his
frequent marlin-fishing trips to the island, where he later bought a house. This bottle, produced by the Aldabo Distillery (also known
as a rum and curacao producer) appears to be a good quality, naturally coloured absinthe, and likely dates from the mid 1930's.
It's in overall excellent condition. This is most likely the exact product that gave rise to the famous 1931 Hemingway quote:
“Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife underhand into the piano."
Tasting notes: Nothing like the anise-rich Spanish style one might expect. Undiluted, the absinthe has a creamy, honeyed nose,
and an unusually yellowish colour (less golden than it appears in the photographs). When iced water is added, the absinthe
louches only faintly and a distinct wormwood aroma develops. On the palette there is a rum-like quality (undoubtedly the base
alcohol for this was made from sugar cane) and an powerful bitter wormwood aftertaste, which lingers in the mouth. It's possible
wormwood was used both in the macerate, and in the coloring step.
Pre-Castro Cuba had a considerable history of absinthe production - Hemingway drank it there, and used to stock up on his
frequent marlin-fishing trips to the island, where he later bought a house. This bottle, produced by the Aldabo Distillery (also known
as a rum and curacao producer) appears to be a good quality, naturally coloured absinthe, and likely dates from the mid 1930's.
It's in overall excellent condition. This is most likely the exact product that gave rise to the famous 1931 Hemingway quote:
“Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife underhand into the piano."
Tasting notes: Nothing like the anise-rich Spanish style one might expect. Undiluted, the absinthe has a creamy, honeyed nose,
and an unusually yellowish colour (less golden than it appears in the photographs). When iced water is added, the absinthe
louches only faintly and a distinct wormwood aroma develops. On the palette there is a rum-like quality (undoubtedly the base
alcohol for this was made from sugar cane) and an powerful bitter wormwood aftertaste, which lingers in the mouth. It's possible
wormwood was used both in the macerate, and in the coloring step.
An Absinthe Albado sample before and after the addition of water.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Absinthe H. Bazinet Jeune, circa 1910
A circa 1910 Absinthe H. Bazinet, in very good condition, labelled for the US market. Founded in 1880, H.Bazinet were an important
Pontarlier-basd producer whose absinthe commanded a premium price in the 1900's. Like other top-quality producers, they used
an entirely natural chlorophyllic coloration process. This is the first intact bottle of this brand from the pre-ban era recorded so far.
Tasting notes: Clear and bright, with a few traces of sediment at the bottom of the bottle - a remnant of the chlorophyllic coloration.
Undiluted, the absinthe has an attractive nose - the wine alcohol base is evident. The colour is light amber with green tinges at the
edges. The louche is quite slow but very good. The aromas develop as water is added - both herbal and floral notes are evident.
Absolutely delicious on the palette - smooth and honeyed with a mild butterscotch character. A hint of wormwood bitterness on the
aftertaste, which is very long. A superb absinthe of great subtlety and complexity.
A circa 1910 Absinthe H. Bazinet, in very good condition, labelled for the US market. Founded in 1880, H.Bazinet were an important
Pontarlier-basd producer whose absinthe commanded a premium price in the 1900's. Like other top-quality producers, they used
an entirely natural chlorophyllic coloration process. This is the first intact bottle of this brand from the pre-ban era recorded so far.
Tasting notes: Clear and bright, with a few traces of sediment at the bottom of the bottle - a remnant of the chlorophyllic coloration.
Undiluted, the absinthe has an attractive nose - the wine alcohol base is evident. The colour is light amber with green tinges at the
edges. The louche is quite slow but very good. The aromas develop as water is added - both herbal and floral notes are evident.
Absolutely delicious on the palette - smooth and honeyed with a mild butterscotch character. A hint of wormwood bitterness on the
aftertaste, which is very long. A superb absinthe of great subtlety and complexity.
An Absinthe Bazinet sample before and after the addition of water.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Absinthe Pernod S.A. Tarragona, circa 1935
A circa 1935 Absinthe Pernod S.A, from the Tarragona distillery, in very good condition. Pernod S.A was the Spanish successor to
Edouard Pernod, and these bottlings are far scarcer than the more commonly found Pernod Fils versions. Pernod S.A. ceased
production in 1938, when it was absorbed into the larger Pernod group.
Tasting notes: Less amber than the Bazinet. Delicious typically Pernod-like nose, with an appealing floral quality. Thick and creamy
louche. Anise fairly prominent in the Edouard Pernod style, with some badiane evident. Much more complex than 1960's Pernod
Fils Tarragona.
A circa 1935 Absinthe Pernod S.A, from the Tarragona distillery, in very good condition. Pernod S.A was the Spanish successor to
Edouard Pernod, and these bottlings are far scarcer than the more commonly found Pernod Fils versions. Pernod S.A. ceased
production in 1938, when it was absorbed into the larger Pernod group.
Tasting notes: Less amber than the Bazinet. Delicious typically Pernod-like nose, with an appealing floral quality. Thick and creamy
louche. Anise fairly prominent in the Edouard Pernod style, with some badiane evident. Much more complex than 1960's Pernod
Fils Tarragona.
An Absinthe Pernod S.A. sample before and after the addition of water.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Absinthe Berger, circa 1900
Berger, based in Couvet and Marseilles, was one of the largest and most popular producers. Their Swiss-style absinthe was
enormously popular in the south of France, and was also exported all over the world, especially to South America, where they, rather
than Pernod Fils, were the market leaders.
The contents are in excellent condition, and identical to samples I've tasted from another Absinthe Berger bottle. The colour is amber
- no real trace of the original green remains. On the nose, anise and the classic Berger "baby-powder" aroma are present, while on
the palette the absinthe is warm, rich and spicy. If Premier Fils was the light feminine brand, Berger is the heavy masculine marque.
You could imagine smoking cigar with a glass of this.
Berger, based in Couvet and Marseilles, was one of the largest and most popular producers. Their Swiss-style absinthe was
enormously popular in the south of France, and was also exported all over the world, especially to South America, where they, rather
than Pernod Fils, were the market leaders.
The contents are in excellent condition, and identical to samples I've tasted from another Absinthe Berger bottle. The colour is amber
- no real trace of the original green remains. On the nose, anise and the classic Berger "baby-powder" aroma are present, while on
the palette the absinthe is warm, rich and spicy. If Premier Fils was the light feminine brand, Berger is the heavy masculine marque.
You could imagine smoking cigar with a glass of this.
An Absinthe Berger sample before and after the addition of water.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Absinthe Premier Fils, circa 1910
Premier Fils, based in Romans, was a high-end producer whose absinthe commanded a premium price, and was one of the
relatively few absinthe distillers that used an entirely natural herbal coloration process, something they proudly advertised on their
label.
Original bottles of Absinthe Premier Fils are far rarer than the equivalent from Pernod Fils and the absinthe itself is completely
different - paler, with a wonderfully subtle olive green colour (still amazingly well preserved), with a warm perfumed quality and a hint
of violets on the nose. The louche is beautiful, but softly translucent rather than milky in the manner of Pernod Fils. All in all, a
quintessentially feminine absinthe.
Premier Fils, based in Romans, was a high-end producer whose absinthe commanded a premium price, and was one of the
relatively few absinthe distillers that used an entirely natural herbal coloration process, something they proudly advertised on their
label.
Original bottles of Absinthe Premier Fils are far rarer than the equivalent from Pernod Fils and the absinthe itself is completely
different - paler, with a wonderfully subtle olive green colour (still amazingly well preserved), with a warm perfumed quality and a hint
of violets on the nose. The louche is beautiful, but softly translucent rather than milky in the manner of Pernod Fils. All in all, a
quintessentially feminine absinthe.
A Premier Fils sample before and after the addition of water.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Click on the thumbnails for enlarged images.
Privately bottled Absinthe Pernod Fils, originating from glass demi-johns removed from the Pernod Fils distillery one week before
the prohibition of absinthe came into effect in August 1914.
The cache originates from the cellar of the last surviving descendant of a once substantial liquor distributor, which operated in the
Doubs region from 1890 to around 1950. The present owner, now elderly, inherited the bottles from his father, who purchased several
glass demi-johns of absinthe from Pernod Fils in the week immediately prior to the ban on absinthe being enacted in August 1914. The
contents of these demijohns (probably around 20-30 litres each) were then bottled (with professional equipment - the corks and wax
seals are of the same quality as a commercial bottling) for the private consumption of the family. There were reportedly originally around
300 bottles, and they were drunk up to the beginning of the Second World War, after which the remaining intact bottles - 76 in all - were
left untouched and forgotten until the present day.
The bottles are all unlabelled. Most are bottled in a distinctive swollen-necked bottle originally made for St Raphael Quinquina, but a few
are in a more standard unbranded Bordeaux-shape bottle. The bottles are typical of blown-in-the-mould glass of the 1910-1915 era,
and were presumably what was to hand at the time the absinthe was privately bottled. There is no difference in the contents between the
two bottle types, and both have the same corks, and the same red wax seals, which like the bottles themselves, date from around 1915.
They were undoubtedly all bottled at exactly the same time.
Tasting notes: A random selection of bottles of both shapes were opened for testing. Evaluation was done both by myself, and,
independently, by another expert. The alcohol content, as measured by hydrometer, varies between 65% and 66% (probably due to
variations in bottle-to-bottle ageing). The absinthe is extraordinarily fine, and very well preserved - a clear light amber, with almost no
sediment (a very typical Pernod Fils characteristic, due to the extensive racking undergone by all their absinthe prior to release). The
absinthe has both floral and spicy notes, and has a rich, full mouthfeel. Allowing for the inevitable small differences between different
bottles of century old spirits, the absinthe is in general entirely characteristic of well preserved Pernod Fils of the pre-ban era.
the prohibition of absinthe came into effect in August 1914.
The cache originates from the cellar of the last surviving descendant of a once substantial liquor distributor, which operated in the
Doubs region from 1890 to around 1950. The present owner, now elderly, inherited the bottles from his father, who purchased several
glass demi-johns of absinthe from Pernod Fils in the week immediately prior to the ban on absinthe being enacted in August 1914. The
contents of these demijohns (probably around 20-30 litres each) were then bottled (with professional equipment - the corks and wax
seals are of the same quality as a commercial bottling) for the private consumption of the family. There were reportedly originally around
300 bottles, and they were drunk up to the beginning of the Second World War, after which the remaining intact bottles - 76 in all - were
left untouched and forgotten until the present day.
The bottles are all unlabelled. Most are bottled in a distinctive swollen-necked bottle originally made for St Raphael Quinquina, but a few
are in a more standard unbranded Bordeaux-shape bottle. The bottles are typical of blown-in-the-mould glass of the 1910-1915 era,
and were presumably what was to hand at the time the absinthe was privately bottled. There is no difference in the contents between the
two bottle types, and both have the same corks, and the same red wax seals, which like the bottles themselves, date from around 1915.
They were undoubtedly all bottled at exactly the same time.
Tasting notes: A random selection of bottles of both shapes were opened for testing. Evaluation was done both by myself, and,
independently, by another expert. The alcohol content, as measured by hydrometer, varies between 65% and 66% (probably due to
variations in bottle-to-bottle ageing). The absinthe is extraordinarily fine, and very well preserved - a clear light amber, with almost no
sediment (a very typical Pernod Fils characteristic, due to the extensive racking undergone by all their absinthe prior to release). The
absinthe has both floral and spicy notes, and has a rich, full mouthfeel. Allowing for the inevitable small differences between different
bottles of century old spirits, the absinthe is in general entirely characteristic of well preserved Pernod Fils of the pre-ban era.
Samples from two different
bottles in the cache, before
and after the addition of
water.
As one would expect there is
some variation between
different bottles in the cache
- some are slightly browner,
others are slightly greener.
The overall colour range and
louche are both typical of
pre-ban Pernod Fils.
Click on the thumbnails for
enlarged images.
bottles in the cache, before
and after the addition of
water.
As one would expect there is
some variation between
different bottles in the cache
- some are slightly browner,
others are slightly greener.
The overall colour range and
louche are both typical of
pre-ban Pernod Fils.
Click on the thumbnails for
enlarged images.
The taste of vintage absinthe is varied - each marque had its own
unique style, some rich and spicy, some lighter and more floral.
Very few show any pronounced bitterness though, and almost all
are subtle, complex, multi-dimensional and delicious. A tiny handful
of modern absinthes approach this quality - none equal or surpass it.
We periodically have samples of original pre-ban vintage
absinthe for sale.
unique style, some rich and spicy, some lighter and more floral.
Very few show any pronounced bitterness though, and almost all
are subtle, complex, multi-dimensional and delicious. A tiny handful
of modern absinthes approach this quality - none equal or surpass it.
We periodically have samples of original pre-ban vintage
absinthe for sale.