by Kris Mulkey
My visit with Old World Spirits included a demonstration of serving absinthe. It’s quite impressive seeing the ice cold water slowly drip from the Absinthe fountain into the glass of Absinthe. The ritual called “la Louche” unlocks the true power of the Green Fairy. As cool water drizzles into the glass, it gently liberates the essential oils of the herbs from which absinthe is made.
The liquid becomes cloudy as the water combines with the absinthe. The strong Absinthe needs a little ice cold water added to it for maximum enjoyment.
You don’t have to drip the water into the absinthe using a fountain. But I’m pretty sure if you do it will be the center of attention at your next party.
You may be wondering, what is absinthe made of?
The base for La Sorciere is Grape Eau Du Vie, un-aged, cognac-style brandy double distilled in-house from California grapes. It contains a dozen choice herbs including wormwood, green anise, fennel, star anise, spearmint, hyssop, angelica root and organic California lemon peels. So it’s technically a spirit, not a liqueur, a common misconception.
It’s made using an old family recipe from David Kuchan, the third generation Croatian Master Distiller, that was used for generations back in Croatia. To say he has experience making this is an understatement.
What is wormwood?
Wormwood is an ordinary-looking plant in the artemisia family that holds a secret: its aromatic leaves and flowers are naturally rich in the terpene thujone, an aromatic, bitter substance alleged to induce an inexplicable clarity of thought, increased sense of perception, enhanced creativity, inspiration and the ability to “see beyond” — as all the famous absinthe drinkers amongst nineteenth century poets, writers, painters and other artists discovered. Many think this is all a bunch of baloney. It does make for interesting cocktail conversation!
What does absinthe taste like?
La Sorciere Bleue – Rich aromas of anise, grilled fennel, hay, herbs, and peppercorns with a mildly sweet medium-full body and a long, hot, and bitter bark, straw and licorice finish. It’s very pleasant with a touch of ice cold water.
One last question. What’s up with the fairy?
The Green Fairy has been the French nickname for absinthe for centuries. But Green Fairy isn’t just another name for absinthe: she is a metaphorical concept of artistic enlightenment and exploration, of poetic inspiration, of a freer state of mind, of new ideas, of a changing social order.
Interesting. Guess you’ll have to try it and see for yourself.
Source: Old World Spirits and Absinthe Fever
