Absinthe behind MP bar Flashcards
Sapin 40
A light and mellow herbal liqueur, very appreciated in winter, traditionally known for relieving cough. You can drink it neat, or in a “grog”, and also to sweeten your absinthe.
At the Emile Pernot distillery, the Sapin liqueur is an Art, it follows a very strict protocol in 2 complex steps:
1. A meticulous distillation of 24 rigorously selected herbs.
2. A fir buds and sugar maceration.
Whereas Sapin liqueurs are usually made on the base of a simple alcohol, sugar and fir buds or even branches maceration, the Emile Pernot distillery uses his savoir-faire to service a refined and rare liqueur unique in the world.
Its alpines and floral aromas will carry you to the great fragrances of our Jura mountains.
The Sapin liqueur is traditionally drunk chilled without ice, in a little liqueur glass at the end of a meal.
Little trick recently discovered: replace the sugar in your absinthe by a little dose of Sapin liqueur, the result is surprising!
Jade 1901
Jade 1901® Absinthe Supérieure is a classic vintage-style absinthe, balanced and crisp, with a stimulating herbal aroma and a smooth, lingering aftertaste that recalls the splendor of the Parisian cafés during the Belle Époque. It should be noted that when a large cache of the pre-ban original was discovered in recent times, a few bottles were found to be in a remarkable state of preservation, retaining much of their original color and freshness. Those who have been fortunate enough to taste these were unanimous in their remarks as to the striking similarities between the vintage bottles and the Jade 1901® Absinthe Supérieure pre-ban clone.
Composition - French eau de vie pot distilled and infused with whole botanicals and rested for an average of 3 years before bottling
Appearance - Shades of olive green with a slight golden tint
Taste - Classic vintage structured palate of Pontarlier Absinthe, Andalusian Anise, and Fennel of Gard with a classic botanical coloration that delivers a long, woody green finish
C.F. Berger
The distillery of C.F. Berger was founded in Couvet, in the canton of Neufchâtel, Switzerland in 1823. The Berger distillery crafted several Swiss style absinthes, the most famous of these being the C.F. Berger 65º degree absinthe verte, which earned its status as one of the premier absinthes of the 19th century. Unfortunately, absinthe crafting at the Berger distillery came to a halt with the Swiss ban of 1910, and the distillery ceased all activities in Switzerland shortly thereafter.
This fine Swiss absinthe was almost lost forever if it had not been for the resurfacing of original, unopened bottles, which Jade Liqueurs® was able to secure for preservation. Using proprietary analytical techniques, Jade Liqueurs® has painstakingly resurrected this beautiful spirit from extinction.
Jade C.F. Berger® is an accurate recreation of the original C.F. Berger 65º absinthe verte, down to incredibly minute details. Our C.F. Berger® Absinthe Supérieure is crafted entirely by hand using select botanicals from the original regions, and is carefully distilled in ancient copper absinthe alembics. This absinthe delivers an experience characteristic of the best Swiss style absinthes. Upon tasting our C.F. Berger® Absinthe Supérieure, the connoisseur will be pleasantly stimulated with the way it quickly asserts its refined fortitude with a bold fragrant scent, full-bodied, rounded mouthfeel, and distinct herbal notes that linger on the palate.
Jade C.F. Berger® Absinthe Supérieure recalls a century-old tradition of fine Swiss style absinthes, and enables the connoisseur to savor a journey into history. Jade C.F. Berger® serves as both an ideal aperitif and digestive to follow even the heartiest of dining selections, and is not overpowered by one’s favorite Cuban cigar.
Composition - French eau de vie pot distilled and infused with whole botanicals and rested for an average of 3 years before bottling
Appearance - Strong shade of olive with a distinct amber tint
Taste - (From the International Wine & Spirits Competition)
Pale yellow/green. Fragrant nose with floral notes to start which are soon overtaken by full power of wormwood, fennel, anise and hyssop. The addition of the cold water brought a slow and steady forming, but complete louche and released another wave of aromatics similar to the first but in even greater volume. Great range of mountain herbs adds to the complexity. A great re-construction of the absinthe of history.Bold vintage flavor profile with powerfully distinct botanical notes and a long, clean finish.
Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans)
As the popularity of absinthe swept through France during the mid 19th century, la fée verte began making her way over to the ‘Paris’ of the New World, La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans). French-speaking travelers and immigrants alike carried their taste for absinthe to this vibrant port city, and before long, French apothecary Antoine Peychaud was doling out ‘healthy’ absinthe-laced elixirs from his Royal St. shop. The popularity of absinthe surged in French-speaking Louisiana, and when Henri Degas and Oscar Wilde arrived in New Orleans in the latter part of the 1800s, they had no trouble finding imported French and Swiss absinthes among familiar comforts. By the advent of the 20th century, cafés like the famous Old Absinthe House were making a name for themselves by cooling the humid summers with sazeracs, absinthe frappés, and even the occasional absinthe crème de glace. Unfortunately, it all came to a halt with the U.S. ban on absinthe in 1912 … or did it?
This exquisite absinthe represents the inspired work of native New Orleanian T. A. Breaux, and its heritage is rooted in the original absinthes that made the sazerac cocktail and absinthe frappé famous. Its unique distillation of stimulating herbes toniques is just what the Belle Époque chimistes prescribed for various subtropical ailments. The light, stimulating mouthfeel and delectable floral finish of Nouvelle-Orléans Absinthe® Supérieure present the connoisseur with a unique perfume and texture that disappeared along with the artisanal marques almost a century ago. We invite you to see why we truly consider Nouvelle-Orléans Absinthe® Supérieure to be L’esprit du Vieux Carré.
Composition - French eau de vie pot distilled and infused with whole botanicals, flowers, and spices and rested for an average of 3 years before bottling
Appearance - Pale lime green with a distinct bluish tint
Taste - Vintage yet slightly avant garde structured palate with mildly bitter floral notes and a lingering bittersweet finish
Jade Liqueurs’ Esprit Edouard®
Jade Liqueurs’ Esprit Edouard® Absinthe Supérieure represents the first absinthe released by Jade that was painstakingly reverse engineered from sealed antique bottles of the original spirit.
The story of Esprit Edouard® Absinthe Supérieure is rooted in the late 19th century, at the time when one of the world’s most prestigious absinthe distilleries was at the zenith of its existence. This distillery crafted products that were the subject of widespread acclaim and international export. At the time of the ban, this distillery had earned the distinction as one of the largest absinthe producers, and was considered by many absinthe connoisseurs to be one of the finest marques.
Almost a century later, perfectly preserved bottles of this pre-ban absinthe have yielded the secrets of this famed producer, and remain an indelible part of Jade’s antique collection. The exquisite taste of this antique absinthe is incredibly smooth and delicious.
Not since the original French and Swiss bans has the world seen a French absinthe that boasts the quality of this particular original brand. Almost a century later, Jade Liqueurs® is proud to present Esprit Edouard® Absinthe Supérieure.
Esprit Edouard® is a fabulously faithful reproduction of the famous pre-ban 72° absinthe that was highly regarded during the Belle Époque. Esprit Edouard® is absolutely correct to the original, from its delicate tint, to its refined texture and delightfully aromatic finish.
Esprit Edouard® Absinthe Supérieure offers the connoisseur the genuine Belle Époque absinthe experience, and makes an impressively prestigious addition to any collection of fine spirits. We invite you to experience the unrivalled quality, tradition, and mystique that only Esprit Edouard® can deliver.
Composition - French eau de vie pot distilled and infused with whole botanicals and rested for an average of 3 years before bottling
Appearance - Deep herbal green with a hint of gold
Taste - Bold vintage flavor profile of Swiss Absinthe, Andalusian Anise, Fennel of Gard, and powerfully distinct herbaceous coloration notes that deliver a long, clean finish.
Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe
Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Française Supérieure
Vieux Pontarlier is craft-distilled in Pontarlier, France, the historic “Capital of Absinthe.” Select botanicals and Pontarlier-grown wormwood, which is considered the finest in the world, are distilled in a chardonnay grape base spirit from Burgundy. Vieux Pontarlier was developed over a period of five years at one of the two last remaining absinthe distilleries still functioning in Pontarlier, using the distillery’s original, pre-ban logbook notes and antique alembic stills designed specifically for making absinthe. 65% ABV
★★★★★ HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION
“The Gold-Standard for the absinthe category”
- F. Paul Pacult, The Spirit Journal
Best In Class, Double Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2008
TASTING NOTES:
Pale peridot green. Slowing dripping ice-cold water produces a lightly green-tinged and billowy opalescent cloudiness. The aroma is fresh, yet slightly briny and spicy with lightly mentholated and cacao notes. The flavors are multi-layered, the grape spirit provides a complex base for subtle herbal undertones, the anise and fennel seed are sweet yet, well balanced, highlighting the minty/menthol taste of true Pontarlier wormwood.
Light is an easy to read font, with tall and narrow letters, that works well on almost every site.
Duplais Absinthe Verte
Absinthe Duplais is distilled by the Matter-Luginbühl distillery and has the distinction of being the first “verte” to be released in Switzerland since the lifting of the ban in 2005. Its recipe is based directly on the absinthe ‘Suisse’ protocols from the important 19th century French distiller’s manual: “Traité des Liqueurs et de la Distillation des Alcools ” by P. Duplais – which is where it takes its name.
It is naturally colored with aromatic plants after the distillation. No artificials or short cuts are used. After a lot of research and attempts we managed to get the color pretty stable, but learned that light exposure has a negative effect on the overall aroma and taste after very little time. Therefore we recommend storing Absinthe Duplais in the dark.
La Cladestine
Absinthe was born in the small village of Couvet in the Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland in the second half of the 18th century and there are many stories associated with its birth. Several characters have been named as possible inventors of this mythical drink, including Dr. Ordinaire, the Henriod sisters, Major Dubied, Mother Henriod, and Abram-Louis Pernod. In 2009, Jacques Kaeslin published a book about the pioneers of absinthe and the distilleries of Couvet. This comprehensive work is based on state, church and public archives, and tells the story of each character involved, studying their links with absinthe.
It appears that an “extrait d’absinthe” was already commercially available in Couvet, in the Val-de-Travers, in 1769, that Major Dubied used to buy and drink it, and that it was probably a macerated absinthe. We can also learn from the archives that Major Dubied created his own brand under the name “Dubied Père et Fils” in 1797 and that he was paying royalties to Madame Henriod before distilling his own recipe. The absinthe of Madame Henriod was already known as demonstrated by a very old label (in the Neuchatel Museum) that reads “Extrait d’Absinthe Qualité Supérieure, de l’unique recette de M’elle Henriod de Couvet.” As for Doctor Ordinaire, he arrived in Couvet in 1767 and was a controversial figure within the community. On several occasions, he was threatened with deportation because he did not respect the authorities’ decisions and failed to honour his commitments. It is clear that he did not arrive from France with a recipe for distilled absinthe, since there are no prior or contemporaneous traces of this in France (while Switzerland has many).
Why did Major Dubied, an influential person in Couvet, not pay Ordinaire any royalties from the sales of his absinthe? If there is no historical record about Dr. Ordinaire and no royalties paid, it is because Dr Ordinaire was not involved in the creation of absinthe.
Jacques Kaeslin’s research continues, but we are already convinced that Madame Henriod is an essential part of the true story behind the creation of real distilled absinthe.
Why Couvet?
Well, check the terrain and location of Couvet on Google Maps. The “terroir” - the geography, weather and altitude - mean that the area around Couvet is perfect for growing many of the plants used in distilling absinthe, and especially for Grande Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Much as the Cognac and Champagne regions of France have the best conditions for the grapes used in their famous drinks, so the Val-de-Travers region has the ideal conditions for many of the plants used in absinthe. And, quite naturally, distilleries in the immediate vicinity had access to the best and the freshest plants.
Absinthe’s fame spread in the nineteenth century throughout France and then to much of Europe and the USA. Its very popularity became too much for many, especially for wine makers trying to recover business they had lost. Gradually, the absinthe fairies were forced out of business … or, in the unique instance of Switzerland, to go “underground.” From 1910 to 2005, the Swiss absinthe tradition was maintained and developed by the “freedom fighters,” or artisans of the Val-de-Travers. Some have speculated that Swiss absinthe went “clear” at this stage, as the moonlighting distillers sought to confuse the Customs officers into thinking that their bottles were filled with vodka, but we think that most of the Customs officers knew exactly what was going on!
