How to sample absinthe?
June 24, 2010 10:22 AM Subscribe
How can I sample varieties of absinthe without investing a bunch of money in guessing which bottles might meet my expectations?
I've read reviews of vintages on various absinthe web sites, and I'd like to try some, but at $60+ per bottle, I find the cost a bit daunting. Is there an establishment in the New Haven, CT area (within say 60 miles) that sells absinthe by the glass? Or how can I go about finding people in the area who are also interested in absinthe?
I've read reviews of vintages on various absinthe web sites, and I'd like to try some, but at $60+ per bottle, I find the cost a bit daunting. Is there an establishment in the New Haven, CT area (within say 60 miles) that sells absinthe by the glass? Or how can I go about finding people in the area who are also interested in absinthe?
Best answer: Also...
If you have not had any at all prior, here's a good litmus test: Do you like anise? All good absinthe tastes predominately of anise.
If the taste of anise is repellent to you, then you can save yourself the hassle.
In your quest to sample some, these are the labels sold in the US that are worth drinking (rated, IMHO, from best to worst):
Delaware Phoenix
Pacifique
Leopold Brothers
Vieux Carre
Marteau
La Clandestine
Obsello
Kubler
Lucid
... I would not really advise wasting time with anything else.
posted by kaseijin at 10:59 AM on June 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
If you have not had any at all prior, here's a good litmus test: Do you like anise? All good absinthe tastes predominately of anise.
If the taste of anise is repellent to you, then you can save yourself the hassle.
In your quest to sample some, these are the labels sold in the US that are worth drinking (rated, IMHO, from best to worst):
Delaware Phoenix
Pacifique
Leopold Brothers
Vieux Carre
Marteau
La Clandestine
Obsello
Kubler
Lucid
... I would not really advise wasting time with anything else.
posted by kaseijin at 10:59 AM on June 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
And I mean, shoot... for that matter... If you're worried about getting a bottle that might not meet your expectations? Just start at the top. Get a bottle of Delaware Phoenix's "Meadow of Love" or, failing that, a bottle of Pacifique.
Those are the best on the market, by leagues. And I've had a lot.
posted by kaseijin at 11:05 AM on June 24, 2010
Those are the best on the market, by leagues. And I've had a lot.
posted by kaseijin at 11:05 AM on June 24, 2010
Best answer: Yeah, seconding the absinthe bars! We have (at least) one in Philly, and it's a great way to try them out. Don't get me wrong, it'll still be really expensive (the last one I had was $16/glass!), but it's better than buying a $60 bottle of something you hate.
posted by Lizsterr at 11:12 AM on June 24, 2010
posted by Lizsterr at 11:12 AM on June 24, 2010
Best answer: Have an Absinthe tasting party. Everyone signs up to bring a bottle of a different type.
posted by mkb at 11:23 AM on June 24, 2010
posted by mkb at 11:23 AM on June 24, 2010
You want to look for something with high thujone levels. It's the psychoactive ingredient in the drink. If that's what you mean by meeting your expectations. You can find some online shipped from overseas.
posted by bravowhiskey at 11:24 AM on June 24, 2010
posted by bravowhiskey at 11:24 AM on June 24, 2010
You no NOT want to get something with high thujone levels.
Aside from not being present in enough quantity in absinthe to create any physiological effect short of such time as you perish of alcohol poisoning, most thujone is left in the pot subsequent to distillation.
"High thujone" absinthes are usually pushed to market by Czech and other Eastern European producers and, aside from tasting like crap and bearing absolutely no resemblance to real absinthe, they frequently don't even have the levels of thujone they so boldly claim to have.
Thujone is absolutely, 100% inconsequential.
posted by kaseijin at 11:29 AM on June 24, 2010 [2 favorites]
Aside from not being present in enough quantity in absinthe to create any physiological effect short of such time as you perish of alcohol poisoning, most thujone is left in the pot subsequent to distillation.
"High thujone" absinthes are usually pushed to market by Czech and other Eastern European producers and, aside from tasting like crap and bearing absolutely no resemblance to real absinthe, they frequently don't even have the levels of thujone they so boldly claim to have.
Thujone is absolutely, 100% inconsequential.
posted by kaseijin at 11:29 AM on June 24, 2010 [2 favorites]
To elaborate, the problem is basically thus:
You know how, in order to be called a Scotch whisky, the product has to be produced in Scotland from peated malt? How, in order to be called bourbon, liquor has to be produced of 60% corn and aged in new, charred, white oak barrels for X amount of time?
Absinthe currently has no such designation. Anybody can put any product on the market and call it "absinthe." And about 70% of what is out there and is claiming to be absinthe, isn't.
posted by kaseijin at 11:33 AM on June 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
You know how, in order to be called a Scotch whisky, the product has to be produced in Scotland from peated malt? How, in order to be called bourbon, liquor has to be produced of 60% corn and aged in new, charred, white oak barrels for X amount of time?
Absinthe currently has no such designation. Anybody can put any product on the market and call it "absinthe." And about 70% of what is out there and is claiming to be absinthe, isn't.
posted by kaseijin at 11:33 AM on June 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
To supplement kaseijin's Thujone warning, you might also want to check out this paper by organic chemist and Absinthe distiller Ted Breaux on the chemical composition of pre-ban absinthes.
posted by The White Hat at 11:37 AM on June 24, 2010
posted by The White Hat at 11:37 AM on June 24, 2010
Response by poster: From what I've read of Absinthe, I think I would like the flavor - I like anise and fennel. The ritual fascinates me.
I've read some about Thujone and it's my understanding the hallucinations some might have experienced may have simply been too much alcohol. While hallucinations might be cool, that's not really the experience I'm seeking.
An absinthe bar makes sense, and googling it has given me a couple of possibilities. Maybe something to make a weekend of. I found that Aroma Thyme Bistro has a sampling including the Delaware Phoenix.
But how can I find others who share my interest in absinthe?
posted by indigo4963 at 12:56 PM on June 24, 2010
I've read some about Thujone and it's my understanding the hallucinations some might have experienced may have simply been too much alcohol. While hallucinations might be cool, that's not really the experience I'm seeking.
An absinthe bar makes sense, and googling it has given me a couple of possibilities. Maybe something to make a weekend of. I found that Aroma Thyme Bistro has a sampling including the Delaware Phoenix.
But how can I find others who share my interest in absinthe?
posted by indigo4963 at 12:56 PM on June 24, 2010
Best place for finding others is online at Wormwood Society. People frequently post notices of regional "get-togethers".
posted by kaseijin at 1:01 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by kaseijin at 1:01 PM on June 24, 2010
Just off the cuff, I could swear that the creatively named Crown 116 has a few varieties of absinthe, but I can't find confirmation of that on the website :(
http://www.116crown.com/
I can't remember if I saw absinthe there or at firehouse 12 or some other downtown haunt. It's all a bit fuzzy :P
Depending on where I end up this evening, I may report back with additional elm city absinthe sitings.
posted by rampy at 1:06 PM on June 24, 2010
http://www.116crown.com/
I can't remember if I saw absinthe there or at firehouse 12 or some other downtown haunt. It's all a bit fuzzy :P
Depending on where I end up this evening, I may report back with additional elm city absinthe sitings.
posted by rampy at 1:06 PM on June 24, 2010
Part of the issue with a lot of bars is that a lot of bar owners, liquor distributors, etcetera, don't see the point in stocking multiple labels of absinthe. ("Absinthe? Yeah, we got a bottle of that.") This leads to them having whatever the big liquor companies push, and not much else.
Your average hipster bar is liable to have Le Tourment Vert (NASTY!), Lucid (passable, assuming they don't try to light it on fire), and maybe Mata Hari or Pernod (ecch).
Try to find some place that actually bills itself as an "absinthe bar". It will be worth the effort spent hunting.
posted by kaseijin at 1:09 PM on June 24, 2010
Your average hipster bar is liable to have Le Tourment Vert (NASTY!), Lucid (passable, assuming they don't try to light it on fire), and maybe Mata Hari or Pernod (ecch).
Try to find some place that actually bills itself as an "absinthe bar". It will be worth the effort spent hunting.
posted by kaseijin at 1:09 PM on June 24, 2010
There's a French restaurant near my house (in NYC) that has an array of at least a dozen bottles behind the bar, just as a kind of afterthought, but as far as I can tell they don't go in for the whole ritual and whatnot. I would definitely look for an absinthe bar.
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:14 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:14 PM on June 24, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I should try signing up on Wormwood Society forum to find like-minded souls in my area. The Google link was useful as I searched not just NYC but throughout the U.S. and found that most bars seem to be near major cities. I guess New Haven is not a major city. Time in Philadelphia looks interesting, and that's only 3-4 hours away. Their website shows a dedicated Absinthe Lounge.
After sampling some, perhaps I'll form a Meetup group for the purpose of absinthe tasting parties.
posted by indigo4963 at 7:03 AM on June 25, 2010
After sampling some, perhaps I'll form a Meetup group for the purpose of absinthe tasting parties.
posted by indigo4963 at 7:03 AM on June 25, 2010
Philadelphia is also home to Philadelphia Distilling -- producer of Vieux Carre, a very very respectable, reasonably priced, mid-shelf absinthe. The distiller, Robert, is a total class act and also sources his herbs from one of the best suppliers in the region, as well. Definitely worth sampling that one while you are there.
posted by kaseijin at 7:18 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by kaseijin at 7:18 AM on June 25, 2010
Time is the bar in Philadelphia I was referring to. They have an amazing set up for the sugar/water ritual right on the bar, which is part of the fun. Previous to visiting Time, I've only had absinthe that was smuggled in from Italy (shhhh!), and I was not disappointed by Time at all. If you ever make it down to Philadelphia to visit, we'll have to make a meet up out of it.
posted by Lizsterr at 8:36 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by Lizsterr at 8:36 AM on June 25, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Actually, you can sample a fair bit of European labels using the AbsintheExlpore kits.
In the NE, there are also a number of absinthe bars. Check out Wormwood Society for more information bars by city.
I can tell you, without a doubt, that there are many people up there who are fans of the drink.
I can also tell you that, should you feel so inclined to drive to NY, you can procure some of the best commercial absinthe on the market, hands down.
posted by kaseijin at 10:54 AM on June 24, 2010 [1 favorite]