Learn More About Absinthe

Crystal clear in the bottle, potent emerald green in the glass, and 144 proof - absinthe is as illicit as it is intoxicating. It's also among history's most notorious spirits - romanticized and maligned in equal measure. Sipped by Oscar Wilde, Baudelaire, van Gogh, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, and many other prominent artists and writers, absinthe was first used in ancient Greece for its healing powers. In 19th century France, it became a symbol of decadence and soon a scapegoat for the social and political ills of the period, leading to its ultimate prohibition.

Traditionally, absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed filligreed absinthe spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then placed in the bowl of the spoon. Cold water is slowly poured or dripped from a carafe or an absinthe fountain over the sugar cube until the drink is sweetened & diluted to taste - anywhere from a 3:1 to 5:1 ratio of water to absinthe. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water, mainly those from anise, fennel and star anise cloud the drink, giving absinthe its eerily green, milky opalescence. The addition of water is an important step, causing the herbs to "blossom" and bringing out many of the flavors originally overpowered by the anise.