A very interesting clip from the show "Modern Marvels". They did a couple of episodes on modern distillation methods and absinthe is featured in this excerpt. Mad alchemist TA Breaux and the Combier Distillery are the stars of the show and there is some great footage showing the alembics and the process. It also begins with a very nice thumbnail history of absinthe. Highly recommended!

YouTube - Jade Liqueurs absinthe at the Combier distillery

Is it possible to actually have a real absinthe come from the Czech Republic? For the most part, despite truly popularizing the absinthe "craze" in places like Britain, Czech "absinthe" is anything but. Almost universally deplored by serious absintheurs, Czech absinthe usually doesn't even get the spelling correct (calling itself 'absynth' or 'absinth'), which is a dead giveaway for a bad drink. Another hint is when the marketer insists on touting its thujone content.

But Oliva Absinthe has the patter down, with a colorful, if too neat sounding, history. The recipe looks okay and the marketing hype is muted. We'll report on any early tastings as we hear of them.

Welcome to Oliva Absinth (Oliva Absinthe) where to buy absinthe online. Yes, we make the best Czech absinth (actually, the ONLY authentic Absinthe from the Czech Republic). That's right, the best Absinthe from the Czech Republic. You can't go wrong if you buy absinthe from our online absinthe shop. We also produce the ONLY sparkling absinthe in the world, ever.

The "flying monkeys" from the good folks at Liqueurs de France finally arrived the other day here at Chez InAbsinthia and we couldn't be happier. It took less than five days, including the weekend, from clicking the "Submit Order" button to the USPS hand delivering the package. We were a little surprised it wasn't a courier, instead a real US postman doing the delivery, but as long as it all works out well in the end, we're happy.

The box itself was rather flimsy, but each bottle was carefully wrapped in a nest of solid Styrofoam, although the Montmarte was trying to peak out the top. We ordered three bottles of absinthe - Montmartre, Eichelberger 68 Verte and La Ptite, a Swiss La Bleu. I guess we weren't paying close enough when we ordered, as we were surprised by the small 500ml bottles of Montmartre and Eichelberger, while the Ptite was 700ml. But each should be more than enough to indulge in.

And an indulgence it is, as absinthe isn't a cheap hobby! Shipping alone cost US$65, bringing the total cost of these three bottles to a staggering US$240. Thus, our cravings are only satisfied a couple of times a year. It's so much better when you are doing the ordering, as the currency used on the LdF web site is English Pounds, so it is much easier to swallow a charge of 123.50, at least until the conversion kicks in. But it was an easy and safe process, and, as mentioned, very fast, so we should have reviews on all three bottle soon.

Speaking of blanche absinthes, you too can get in on a prototype, or test brewing, blanche from the good folks at LdF (Liqueurs de France). One of the neatest things about the absinthe business is that you can try out early versions of a possible masterpiece, by purchasing test distillations. This is 'Essai 3', or third trial batch, and we've been hearing some good things about the earlier Blanche Traditionelle "Brut d'alambic" prototypes. Produced by the same distiller of the award-winning Absinthe Duplais, here's what they have to say about it:

This "essai 3" (third trial) absinthe blanche also follows the historic 'Absinthe Suisse Blanche' recipe (which does not include a final coloring step), using a single, mixed-plant alembic charge. This third batch has been modified by increasing the percentage of green anise used, while slightly reducing the fennel content. It still is being bottled without any water reduction as a full 81.3% alcohol distillate.

There are two "colors" of absinthes, green and clear. While there are other disturbing colors for sale out there (red and black come to mind), these are really the only two "colors" you will see from any absinthe with a claim to authenticity. The greens range from a pale green tint, to a bright green radioactive color, while the clear ones are usually just that - perfectly clear. It all has to do with the recipe used to make the absinthe.

The famous color is, of course, green or verte, which leads to all kinds green imagery, unabashedly used even here at In Absinthia. La fee verte is the green fairy, a muse reputedly seen by many of the more bohemian authors. An important facet to any green absinthe, the shade can often be an excellent indicator to the final quality of the absinthe. Original color (ie, before louching) is an important part of the Fee Verte grading system, as a natural color is much preferable to a nuclear, artificial green. The green color comes from the last stage of making absinthe, where the final distillate is soaked once again in a mixture of green herbs like petite absinthe and hyssop. As it adds an important dimension to the taste of a good absinthe, those manufacturers that artificially color their absinthes are missing the point!

A clear absinthe comes about due using a different recipe, which generates a very clear, crystalline liquor. Most famous as the result of the Swiss process of making absinthe, it generally results in a slightly less alcoholic absinthe (around 55%, instead of the 65% or more for verte). These clear, Swiss, absinthes are often called La Bleue, for the beautiful blue-tinged louche you get from the better labels. Clear French absinthes are also known as blanche, which is more literally white.

Well, we here at inAbsinthia are assuming the recently announced PF 1901 from Jade Liqueurs will, in fact, be pure ambrosia, just like its stablemates Edouard, Verte Suisse and Nouvelle-Orleans, as we have not had a chance to get a taste of it yet. PF 1901 is a "tribute" to one of the most famous absinthes, Pernod Fils. In fact, you can still find pre-ban bottles of it for purchase, at, of course, astronomical prices. At Combier Distillery, where absintheur Ted Breaux weaves his magic, there are rebuilt original Pernod Fils alembics. Breaux has tried to recreate the taste as well in this PF1901 label.

Really nice description, with cool pictures, of an absinthe pour.  Here he is tasting the award-winning Duplais, which he really likes.  The fanciful pictures add atmosphere to the blog post. Note the lack of a burning sugar cube - yay! But he does have some very funny clown candles, which also seem to enjoy the emerald gold.