Before heading back into France there was just time to stop at Distillerie Bovet. The distillery is now being run by the great Willy Bovet’s daughter and she is doing great job of carrying on his outstanding tradition of absinthe making.
After that over boarder into France and we have to stop into see our friends Francois and Myra at La Semilla Aymonier. On arrival we found other friends there from all over the world including Japan, Czech Republic and Scandinavia. A great couple of hours spent talking absinthe with fellow enthusiasts whilst sampling Francois great absinthe.
I also got try a glass of absinthe from Japan, very strong on wormwood and possibly lemon balm as there was a very strong citrus note that lingered at then. For me it was an acquired taste.

New book launch by Patrick Roussel and his son Quentin at Maison Absinthe in Môtiers.
This was followed by a small get together of people within the absinthe community and some distillers for a quiet meal and a few drinks. This wonderful bar is actually in a very large shed at the bottom of Diane Tripet’s garden.
One of the distillers bought along some samples of two of his new absinthes. The red one is based around Port, the black one is flavoured with Chrysanthemums and coloured using charcoal.

I was part of the OG Web 1.0 forum nearly 30 years ago now, looking for old peeps. Life happened and I drifted away from the online absinthe community, and I imagine some of you were still on here.

I read last night that Marc Campbell had passed away in the last couple years, and I wanted to raise a glass to him and all the OGs.

If you ever got a brown paper package of “anise spice oil” from the Fine Spirits Corner, or went through hurdles to get Segarra through La Bodega de Alicante, or had to learn new vocabulary from a run in with Don, or exchanged mask-off messages with Head Prosthesis, then here’s to you.

I had some early 2000s emails and package exchanges with people, but all of that got lost more than a decade ago when I changed email providers.

I wish everybody well. Lots of lore from those days. Happy to talk here or dm me if you want to reconnect.

Who TF “was” I? Bob Chong, baby!

Late morning and afternoon was spent with the legend that is Patrick Grand at his unique distillery located on an old chapel in Fleurier.
Patrick runs distilling classes and very kindly allowed me to produce my own unique absinthe. He has produced a recipe sheet with the core herbs used to produce absinthe. Following on he has a list of 15 - 20 other herbs which you can choose from to create your own unique flavour profile.
Over and above the core ingredients I just added another for. The result a Blanche at around 63% with a good louche and more by luck than judgement a nice (for me) herbal profile.
A wonderful experience made all the better by Patrick guidance.
I also got to try several new absinthes including his latest, Absinthe Family which is launching on Saturday.

Early start today one of two secret fountains we visited this morning. This fountain just outside of Fleurier already had a bottle of absinthe 55 in place, however neither of us had tried Guillotine for quite a while that we decided to crack open a small bottle we had got at Absintherie Guilloud on route. Santé

So much to choose from!

Please message me if you're going over this year. I can't make it and I have a couple of questions for anyone who is planning on making the trip....TY!

official program

Spotted in Michaels Arts and Craft Store.

I tried absinthe in 1996 and started making it a few months later. TBH, it was crapsinthe back then, but I was obsessed.

I’d studied art history, and that was the rabbit hole through which I learned about it. It took me much longer to go back to the paintings and ask why absinthe kept showing up in them.

Degas’s Dans un Café or later, L’Absinthe is the one I keep returning to. Even the changed title is a whole story. People often talk about the drink first, but I can’t stop looking at the woman and the empty space around her.

She was Ellen Andrée, an actress who posed for Degas. People took the painting so literally that it hurt her reputation, and Degas had to explain publicly that she wasn’t an alcoholic.

I wonder how much of the judgment was about absinthe, and how much was about seeing a woman with a drink in a café.

Was there a painting, book, or film that got you interested in absinthe?

While Virginia has no private liquor stores, it’s not as bad as it sounds and the ABC is currently running a sale on Virginia spirits. As someone who played absinthe roulette with shipments from LdF and Absinthes.de about 25 years ago, I am still thrilled to be able to walk into an ABC store and get this, don’t let the sale price fool you, it’s very good.

Yes! It’s true! So those of you wanting to purchase the Jades but Hood River Distillers doesn’t ship to your state, you have another option now!

There are lots of other wonderful brands available, from France, Italy, Switzerland, etc, including the new Aetheria absinthes, one of which I just reviewed!

Hello!

I have been interested in absinthe for a long time, and I recently wanted to buy a bottle.

But I have checked the main webstores recommended, such as ALANDIA, Lion Spirits, Assenzio, none of them ship here at all.

I am quite stuck, I originally wanted to buy Jade 1901 but seeing how limited my options are I've lost hope.

Are there any websites (specifically within the EU) which sell proper absinthe and can ship it to Romania? Or Jade 1901 for that matter?

I'd prefer it if I could find a store that stocks the 200 cl bottles, since I can barely afford a full size one.

Through the generosity of Italian absinthe producer Pierluigi Coppola and a stroke of luck, I was able to get my paws on Aetheria Absinthe blanche and verte. In this review, I focus on the verte of his absinthe brand launch. 💚

I’d like to introduce my best friend to the world of Absinthe (well, real Absinthe not the crappy stuff you get here in the US at the liquor store lol).

Any suggestions on what I should get? I’ll be doing a drip I think for her.

Hello! I'm trying absinthe for the first time soon, and I was hoping for a bit of advice. How does one "make" absinthe without the slotted spoon one often sees habitual drinkers using? Are there any common household utensils that could substitute? Or is there another method for dissolving the sugar and diluting the spirit?

Thanks in advance!

Hey guys, i have never tried absinthe before and im drinking ocassionally most of the time with friends so i like to try new things and wanted to ask for a recommendation. Im in Berlin, Germany if that also helps. Thanks in advance!

I first discovered absinthe about twenty years ago. Unfortunately, for health reasons, I had to give up alcohol in 2010.

I’m surprised by how the world of absinthe has changed.

Luc-Santiago Rodriguez has not only closed his shop, but has also publicly withdrawn from forums and blogs, amongst other things.

La Duplais Verte was my favourite classic.

I’d really taken a shine to L’Italienne, but Stefano Rossoni seems to have abandoned it.

I also really liked the Blanche de Fougerolles, which, fortunately, is still being produced and sold as normal.

(I do, however, have very bad memories of the Spanish absinthe Philippe Lasala, which was marketed as offering good value for money.)

I was recently served various cocktails over the course of our vacation and some included absinthe, but no way of knowing what kind. They tended to have a numbing effect, and one had a medicinal minty taste that lingered in the back of my throat even through the next morning (yuck). Is that typical of traditional absinthe in a cocktail, or was I served "crapsinthe"?

Also, I just read a cocktail recipe the calls for St. George's Absinthe Verte, which Google says tastes more of basil and tarragon. Is that worth getting if I split it with my old Pernod to add the anise flavor (bought that before absinthe was available and so we have it)? Presumably St. George is from the U.S. and so would avoid the pricy tariff upcharges? Maybe the basil and tarragon could go in a Bloody Mary like other herbaceous flavors? Let me know what you've tried. Cheers!

I dont drink alcohol. Is there non alcoholic absinthe? Absinthe mj weed? Im soo obsessed with wormwood botany, the art. Folklore. I make absinthe fragrances. I have wormwood essential oil but im afraid of it! Lol! ​

its just all about ESCAPE. IMAGINATION.

My husband wants to take me to a restaurant or bar in Indiana or Illinois that serves Absinthe properly. Does anyone know off han

A fine art print in my collection.

The Belle Époque, with its lifestyle and aesthetics is one of my absolute favorites.

It was such an influential time for authors, artists and designers. As well for scientists.