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Absinthe Brands

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Miriam

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Feb 2, 2005
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Just curious to know if any of you have heard of these brands:
two Spanish absinthes called "Abesenta Tunel" and "Rodnik"; and two French brands called "Trenet" and "Joie de France."

The Spanish ones have a horrible artificial green color, while the French look more natural. The Trenet is supposed to be the best; at least, it is the most expensive.

Did I buy any? Nah, not interested. Just popped into a couple of liquor stores while I was in the shuk yesterday, as Oskaar once asked what we have by way of absinthe over here. I get the impression that these are not very impressive brands. On the other hand, there were a bunch of ouzos and araks. Feh - don't drink anything that tastes like anise.

Miriam
who prefers gin
 
As far as I know Absinthe is illegal in the states. I could be wrong.
I would love to try some though.
 
Miriam,

Thanks so much for checking out the stock in your local purveyors of fine bottled spirits! Many thanks for the information.

From what I remember of the Trenet is was drinkable only when diluted...heavily, and I've not tried the Joie de France.

I'm completely unfamiliar with the Spanish bottles other than what I've read on the web.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 
Oskaar,

Glad to have satisfied your curiosity - truth is, I was wondering what kind of an absinthe-drinking population we have around here myself. Not a very serious one, obviously. From what I can see, Israelis drink wine at restaurants and events like weddings and parties, but at home Sephardim drink mostly arak, with the occasional ouzo or grappa, while Ashkenazim are eclectic and don't identify with any particular drink. An exception: Chassidim drink vodka.

When you want to really expand, you provide whiskey, although I think most would turn up their noses at the brands named in the "Cherry Bounce" thread and head for the familiar Chivas Regal.

The Russian immigrants drink vodka - many varieties of vodka have appeared here since the big Russian immigrantion - and the world's cheapest beers. I am horrified when I go to the grocery store and see these gulp-sized containers of vodka with rip-off tops and labels in Russian; just enough for a quick drink on the run. Alcohol is a serious part of life for so many Russians.

Ethiopians drink beer and Tej. I don't know anyone who drinks mead, except the people I've corrupted - er, have introduced to it. And someone besides me must be drinking gin; there are always a few brands (most of them bogus)on the shelves at the liquor stores I've visited.

I really do wonder these drinking preferences reflect on the people drinking them, socio-economically, and if any significant conclusions about our society could be drawn from them.

Miriam
 
Miriam said:
Just curious to know if any of you have heard of these brands:
two Spanish absinthes called "Abesenta Tunel" and "Rodnik"; and two French brands called "Trenet" and "Joie de France."
Click to expand...

Don't bother with any of these. They have little to do with good absinthe.

The problem is that there is no regulations whatsoever for what can be labelled 'absinthe', so anyone can sell the first, the best high-octane vodka with some food colouring as 'absinthe', and they do it.

Most of the spanish brands are mediocre. The exception is Segarra (the 45% version), which is nice, but rather expensive for what it is.

Brands that are generally considered good among serious absintheurs and absintheuses include: Jade (three different kinds: Nouvelle-Orleans, Verte Suisse and Edouard), Montmartre (from Austria, with a peculiar spicy character) and most of what comes from Switzerland (they legalized absinthe last year, and a lot of former clandestine distillers have gone legal & commercial).

Web sites such as www.wormwoodsociety.org and www.feeverte.net are worth a visit for further information on this subject ...
 
I spent a few weeks in Gernika a few years back, and I saw some absinthe, and it fits your description of Spanish absinthe perfectly... Very, very unnaturally green.

I think the feller I saw drinking it poured at least half a glass of water over the half glass of absinthe. Seems silly to me... At any rate, I saw him ralph up some nasty neon hurl in the street a little while later. I hope it was worth it.

Most Americans don't realize this, but Heinies taste WAY BETTER in Europe, seeing as they're all fresh and stuff... I can't drink those nasty little things here...
 
Pouring water actually isn't silly at all - absinthe isn't meant to be drunk neat. Water is needed to bring out the flavours, normally 3-5 parts water to 1 part absinthe.

While pouring the water, the absinthe turns cloudy and opaque, the effect known as 'louche'. Enjoying that visual effect is part of the whole drinking experience, and that - as well as the taste - benefits from a slow pouring of the water in a thin stream, not just dumping it in.

For absinthe geeks who are going all the way, there are special water fountains made specifically for this purpose.

(Yeah, I confess, I am one of those absinthe geeks ...)
 
Wow. Seems like a lot of trouble to me... To each their own, I guess.

Doesn't that stuff make you hallucinate?
Click to expand...


No more so than any other alcohol. But then the hallucinations from regular alcohol can be bad enough. See 'beer goggles'.
Tarot.
 
Don't even touch those so called Absinthes!!! If you want a real Absinthe that isn't playing to the hype, go to absintheonline.com and you will get the real thing. Not the crap that is lurking around.

I've been drinking real Absinthe for a few years now (after I spent a couple of years researching) and the stuff they offer there is the closest you will find to vintage because most of the brands there have been brewing it since before the great Absinthe ban. They just picked it up again when the ban lifted.

Contrary to popular belief, Absinthe ISN'T illegal to have in the US. It is Illegal to buy or sell from a bar or store but there is no real ban on importing it for personal use.

And if you are looking into Absinthe to trip out, then recheck your sources because it is a complete myth. You won't trip out from it. It is true that if you don't completely overindulge, you won't have a hangover, but if you do, you will be puking it up while staring down at $60 wasted.

But it is a satisfying drink and real relaxing. Just don't buy into the hype. Remember, all the crap you've seen in the movies.... Take a close look, they are adding Laudenum (opium) to it and if you are serious about Absinthe, don't light it up. That was another thing that made its way into popular culture because of From Hell. The movie makers thought it looked cool.

A tip for buying Absinthe: Don't buy anything if the country of origin has less than 3 shores touching ocean. Inland Absinthe is just plain crap.
 
pearlheartgtr said:
A tip for buying Absinthe: Don't buy anything if the country of origin has less than 3 shores touching ocean. Inland Absinthe is just plain crap.
Click to expand...

Gotta disagree there Pearl, some of the Swiss Absinthe that I've had is as good or better than some of the French Absinthe I've had. I like them both actually, and generally pick some up on the way to and from Croatia.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 
I bought some absinthe when I was in Amsterdam a few years ago and again, in France, last year. I had no trouble bringing them back. They're not that expensive when purchased locally and they make a good souvenir.

Perhaps more pertinent to this discussion - I've ordered them online, from a German company, as well. They are expensive to buy and to ship but there were no problems in the purchasing process or with receiving them. They're still sitting in my liquor cabinet and, in hindsight, I think that I'd derive more pleasure buying and drinking an expensive mead or wine but to each his own...
 
To find a good Absinthe is hard to do unless you know where to look. I personally researched for about 2 years before buying. I found the La Fee Verte site and forum -- that was the biggest help. They have an Absinthe rating system there and a forum of very helpful folk -- if you don't ask stupid questions if you haven't read the FAQ -- they are quite unforgiving that way -- so don't ask if you will "trip balz" on Absinthe. The lynch mob will get you.

I personally order from Liqueurs de France. They have the finest Absinthes available with decent shipping prices and they always deliver to me within a week.

The laws about Absinthe in the US technically state that you cannot sell or buy Absithe (or any wormwood infused
liquor) in a bar or store. Apparantly there is nothing that says that you cannot import it or have to drink.

So check out Liquors da France ( or absintheonline . Com )
 
In case any one has not heard yet, absinthe has been de-criminalized in the US. It is not being produced in southern California.

While I have not had real absinthe yet I have been researching it and have been facinated with it for years. Many times I have been tempted to import it from Europe. Maybe now we will see some decent brands in the US and I can save a lot of money.
 
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