In the Alps, various native species of wormwood collectively called génépi are used to brew liqueurs also called génépi (or genepy). Drinks besides absinthe utilize wormwood.“It’s safe to say that there is at least one species of wormwood growing in every climate in the world,” says Robinson. Wormwood can grow almost anywhere in the world, though the most popular regions include Pontarlier, near the Swiss-French border, and southern Virginia in the U.S. At the distillery, Leopold sticks with tradition and uses grande wormwood, sourced in-state. “Most wormwoods are segregated by the regions in which they are grown, and they all have different flavors and aromas,” says Todd Leopold of Leopold Bros. distillery in Colorado. The best known species of wormwood is Artemisia absinthium, or grande wormwood, the only type that you can use in the distillation process for something to be considered authentic absinthe. “There are more than 200 plants in the genus Artemisia, including southern wormwood, petite wormwood (which is used in coloring absinthe) and grande wormwood,” says Brian Robinson of the Wormwood Society. During absinthe’s heyday in mid-19th century France, most bottles of the stuff contained around 70 percent ABV - about twice the average amount of alcohol in gin, vodka and whiskey.

The only reason people ever went nutty from drinking with the “green fairy” was due to the exorbitant amount of alcohol found in the beverage. Yes, it contains thujone, a compound that can cause seizures and death at very high doses, but the concentration found in absinthe won’t make you hallucinate. Wormwood, as you probably know, was traditionally used to flavor absinthe. Sammy Hagar, Adam Levine Launch “Mezquila” BrandĪn Ancient Tradition Returns: Making Absinthe in Switzerland Rare Whiskeys (And Whiskys) To Get You Through Winter Garnish with an orange peel.Richard Betts Goes Deep About Mezcal On Food Republic Today Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Try replacing the vodka in a Bloody Mary with absinthe or substituting absinthe for the gin in a classic Negroni. While absinthe’s high proof has scared off many a bartender, those who experiment with the spirit have found how wonderfully versatile absinthe can be. Again, authentic absinthes don’t have or need sugar.Ībsinthe is wildly versatile and belongs in cocktails. Though impressive, the “fire ritual” is designed to distract from the fact that a cheap and artificial product will not louche. Somewhere along the way, sugar cubes were added-likely to cover for poor quality ingredients and in some circles, that the sugar is first soaked with alcohol and lit with a match. During the process, the spirit will louche, which means it turns cloudy and opaque. The classic method of serving absinthe involves slowly dripping cold water into a glass of the spirit. Another clue? Authentic absinthes don’t have sugar.Ībsinthe should not be served with a (flaming) sugar cube. That means they’re made with Artemisia Absinthium, aka grande wormwood, the herb that gives the liquor its name and its flavor. Until 2007, this myth had some truth to it, as absinthe was banned in the United States. Today, however, there are several absinthes made in the states from local ingredients that harken back to authentic recipes. Real absinthe is made in the United States.

Moreover, distillation renders the wormwood perfectly safe. This wormwood imparts a minute amount of thujone into the spirit, but there is more thujone from sage in a box of Stove Top Stuffing than in a bottle of absinthe. The sale of absinthe was banned in the United States for nearly 100 years for a variety of reasons, but that ban was repealed in 2007.Ībsinthe is a botanical distillate that contains a mixture of anise, fennel, and a type of wormwood called Artemisia Absinthium. Still, numerous misperceptions exist, so in preparation for the 15 th anniversary of the repeal of the ban on the sale of absinthe in the United States, here are some debunks to the “Fake News” when it comes to absinthe.Īuthentic absinthes are legal. The reality is that the high-proof spirit is an important part of cocktail culture-past, present, and future. The Green Fairy, La Fee Verte, the Green Muse, Absinthe has as many nicknames as it does legends. We’ve all heard the myths, urban legends, and fake news when it comes to Absinthe. We are debunking 6 absinthe myths on National Absinthe Day.

Absinthe with thujone