![]() ![]() The infused spirit is then re-distilled, which removes most of the highly bitter flavors imparted by the herbs.īut if that re-distilled spirit is mostly yellowish-clear when it comes off the still, why is absinthe green? Well, that’s thanks to the ever-so-excitingly-named process of secondary maceration, in which another round of herbs (usually not the bitter holy trinity herbs) are steeped in the spirit. Whatever herbs the distiller wants to use (aside from that “holy trinity” of wormwood, anise, and fennel, it’s pretty much dealer’s choice) are then added to the spirit and macerated-soaked until they’re soft and falling apart, essentially. Traditionally, absinthe starts from a neutral eau-de-vie, an un-aged brandy distilled from wine grapes. Grand wormwood, in particular, has long been seen as the defining ingredient in absinthe, and it’s also been the source of most of the controversy that led to it being banned in the first place-but more on that later. Chief among those (in classic absinthes, anyway) are grand wormwood, green anise, and florence fennel. What Is Absinthe?Ībsinthe is, at its core, a high-proof spirit infused with a whole bunch of herbs, spices, and other botanicals that give it its distinctive licorice flavor and emerald color. In reality, it’s an absolutely gorgeous spirit, and one that deserves attention as much for its iconic history as for the truly unique experience of enjoying it properly. Thanks to the long hiatus, though, most of us haven’t really had much exposure to absinthe beyond a few anecdotes about it being dangerous or making people go insane. Since then it’s been a veritable gold rush, with brands new and old vying for the top spot in this newly-opened market. Luckily, coinciding with the craft cocktail revolution of the early 2000s was a desire to resurrect some of these long-forgotten spirits, and in 2007 it once again became legal to sell absinthe in the US. But thanks to a combination of prohibitionist sentiment and some drastically bad science, it was banned throughout much of Europe and the United States for most of the 20th century. Invented in Switzerland in the late 1700s and popularized by some of the greatest literary and artistic figures in history, it has certainly played a role in its fair share of grand old stories. Absinthe may well be the most misunderstood spirit in the world. ![]()
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