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Absinthe, the legend of the green fairy

Absinthe, the legend of the green fairy

A glass of absinthe, there is nothing more poetic in the world... What is the difference between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?

So wrote Oscar Wilde about one of the spirits that most captured the imagination of writers, poets and painters in the 19th century. A suggestion that helped create a veritable legend about this bright green and mysterious drink.

Absinthe is the name of a plant with the scientific name of Artemisia absinthium: a silver-green shrub with an extremely bitter taste that has been used since antiquity for its tonic and antiseptic properties and is one of the main components of the distillate of the same name.

According to the most widely accepted version,absinthe was invented by the doctor Pierre Ordinaire, a Frenchman living in Switzerland, who presented it as a tonic with curative properties in 1792 and sold the recipe to the Henriod sisters. Five years later, Monsieur Dubied, father-in-law of Henry Louis Pernod, bought the recipe and with his son and son-in-law opened the first absinthe distillery in Couvet, the Dubied Père et Fils, later followed by the second in Pontarlier: the Maison Pernod Fils.

assenzio PONTARLIER

The banning of absinthe and the return to the market.

Absinthe experienced enormous popularity in the second half of the 19th century, and its mass production made it rather cheap; in every bar, bistro, cabaret and café it could be found, and not always of good quality. The green fairy who lives in absinthe wants your soul, Count Dracula - aka Gary Oldman - says persuasively in Francis Ford Coppola's film version, and the distillate was so popular that aperitif hour at the time was called the heure verte.

This provoked a concerned reaction from the authorities, who made absinthe the scapegoat to target alcoholism. Indeed, many people drank bad versions of it, often harmful to health, taking advantage of the low prices. Not only that: the lobbies of the wine distillate producers, who had already been hard hit by the phylloxera epidemic in the grapevine, put a lot of pressure on governments to eliminate a fearsome competitor. Thus, in 1915, absinthe was banned in most parts of the world.

Assenzio

It was at this time that dark legends began to spread about the dangerousness of absinthe, described as a drug with hallucinogenic effects. The essential oil of Artemisia absinthium does indeed contain a terpene, thujone, which in high doses can lead to epileptic seizures and even death, but the quantities required for intoxication are impossible to ingest by drinking absinthe.

After a long legal battle, absinthe became legal again in all European Union countries in 1992, however only in France and Switzerland rules have been codified to determine what can be called 'Absinthe'.

Absinthe: methods of production and consumption

The authentic modern wormwood follows the production methods described in the protocols of the time: it must therefore be produced by maceration in alcohol of Artemisia, green anise seed and fennel seed, plus other variable herbs, and then distilled. It must not contain additives, colouring agents or sugar.

The traditional method of consumption correct involves the slow dilution of absinthe with ice water, causing the louche effect that makes it cloudy and enhances the aromas. The French ritual involves placing a small perforated spoon on the glass into which the absinthe has been poured. A sugar cube is placed on top and then iced water is dripped over the sugar.

Absinthe, the legend of the green fairy

ASSENZIO LA FÉE

La Fée, La Pontissalienne, Bordiga: three declinations of absinthe

Following the end of the ban, La Fée was the first brand to produce traditional absinthe in France again, as well as the only one approved by the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise. For each production cycle of La Fée's varieties, a sample is sent to the museum to ensure that the flavour, colour and louche are authentic. All the production protocols of the time are respected, guaranteeing a taste experience that takes you on a real journey through time.

Absinthe La Pontalissienne is produced by the historic Distillerie Guy in Pontarlier, and takes its name from the inhabitants of this town associated with the production of aniseed and absinthe-based liqueurs. In its heyday, Pontarlier was home to no fewer than 23 distilleries. Founded by Armand Guy and later continued by his son George, Distillerie Guy produced aniseed during the long years of prohibition, and today can offer an absinthe with a strong and decisive taste, which finds its balance between the sweetness of green aniseed and the power of the traditional distillate.

Bordiga is a special distillery, which has made rigour and respect for tradition a strong point: the alpine herbs are still harvested by hand and dried by hand in an unspoilt environment, without engines, pesticides or fertilisers of any kind. Its absinthe uses a recipe dating back to 1903, and should be consumed using the traditional method of ice water that slowly dissolves the sugar.