Rantings of a DC Gourmand

The problem(s) with Absente and their sister brands

2010-11-22T18:52:00.000-08:00

I've made a lot of stink in the past year about Pernod and their misinformation campaign, but there are other brands that have been just as difficult to deal with, if not moreso, and whose advertizing campaigns have proven detrimental to the idea of informing today's absinthe consumer.

Case in point: Crillon Importers. Their products include Absente, Grande Absente, Absinthe Ordinaire and now Michel P. Roux Supreme Absinthe.

I had my first dealings with Crillon a few years ago when they sent me a bottle of Grande Absente to review. The product itself was billed as an authentic 18th century recipe; one that included grande wormwood, thus qualifying it as real absinthe. Well, suffice it to say, the product itself was middle of the road, at best: harsh star anise flavor and artificially colored. The spokesman I talked with over the phone was surprised to hear I didn't find it great, which should have told me something.

Over the next two years or so, I'd run across some of their marketing, which was for the most part, misleading and/or incorrect, but I didn't think much of it, since it didn't seem to be a very popular brand in the U.S.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.

While surfing around on Facebook, I ran across a new fan page called 'Absinthe - The Green Movement'. While it seems to be putting itself out there as an absinthe resource, it is in fact run by Crillon as a main page for all four of their brands. Due to their marketing ventures, the page has quickly garnered more than 8,000 members, which in my estimation is more than any other absinthe brand. A shame to say the least.

As I began to read through a lot of the posts made by the brand reps, I couldn't believe my eyes. A large amount of what they were posting was blatantly false and/or misleading. I reluctantly 'liked' the page, solely to enable me to comment on their posts, and correct some of the information. Well, let's just say they didn't like that too much. They got defensive quite quickly, and within a week or so, suspended my priveleges to post, and erased my comments. Apparently, they prefer censorship to true education.

Because of the huge following the page now has, I felt it was important for me to call them out on a lot of their statements. So that's what this post will be about. I'm going to break it down into several sections: Brand, Irresponsible representation, Absinthe History, and the dreaded Thujone.

BRAND
1) In one advertisement, they claimed that their brands are the best selling brands in France and Switzerland.

Well, since we know that Switzerland has a law that prohibits artificially colored absinthes from being sold in their country, we know for a fact that their claim cannot be true, since all three of their original brands are all artificially colored.

2) In multiple ads and FB posts, their representatives claimed that their brands were now being made with Northern Wormwood, which they claim make it authentic. There are two possibilities here: 1) The reps are so uneducated that they don't know that Northern Wormwood is not the same thing as Grande Wormwood, or 2)They aren't really using Grande Wormwood and they accidentally tipped their hats. My guess is the former, but unless we are able to examine their herbs, we'll never know.

IRRESPONSIBLE REPRESENTATION
On multiple occasions, I've seen the brand reps commend or endorse practices that can be extremely dangerous and/or illegal. A couple of examples:

1) On their flikr page, they featured a bar which lights their absinthe on fire, then had the patron first huff the fumes, then down the shot. As I mentioned there, the brand might have a legal battle on their hands when someone burns their mucous membranes by inhaling strong, hot alcohol vapors.

2) On their FB page, they rebuked me for criticizing a gentleman who was bragging about passing out a homemade 'bathtub' absinthe. They fully supported his actions until I explained to them the seriousness of their endorsement. Not surprisingly, they pulled their comment soon after, yet still published another comment criticizing me for calling them out. Here is the passage:

Shortly after the exchange, all of the comments were removed, apparently after they realized what they were endorsing.

ABSINTHE/BRAND HISTORY
The reps are a total mess here. I wouldn't be surprised if they just make stuff up, or at the most, do a cursory google search before posting something. Some of the highlights:

1) Absinthe was a treatment for malaria (no, it wasn't)

2) They claim that Absente was the first absinthe available in the U.S. market since 1912, and was available years before any other brand. This is misleading because the original Absente did not contain wormwood (the herb that gives absinthe its name), thus can't be considered real absinthe by any rational argument.

3) They claim that their product comes closer to original absinthe recipes than the majority of products made in the U.S. or Europe. Yet, on their Absente page, they also claim that they don't know what absinthe tasted like back in 1915. Try as I might, I can't figure out how both statements can be true simultaneously.

4) On their Facebook page, they claim: "We are committed to providing our consumers with only the highest quality absinthes possible by adhering to the same ingredients and artisinal methods used in the mid 1800's through the turn of the century." Three things wrong with that:

during the height of absinthe's popularity in France, there was a identity standard, which regarded artificially colored absinthes as lower in quality than naturally colored products. Thus, they cannot be the 'highest quality'.
Same ingredients. We know that FD&C Blue wasn't created until 1896, and FD&C Yellow #5 not until 1949. So we know they aren't adhering to the same ingredients used in the mid 1800's.
I won't even go into the whole use of the term 'artisinal'.

THUJONE
Here is where I feel the most irritated. Mainly because they claim to be educating the public, but in reality, they are being complacent in leading consumers to believe that thujone is an important part of absinthe. I think they believe that if they truly make an effort to play down the importance of thujone, they will lose customers who are buying absinthe strictly because they think thujone is a drug or has some recreational potential.

Instead of telling the truth, which means letting people know that the legal limits of 10mg.l in the US and 35mg/l (for bitters) in the EU essentially means thujone free, i.e. NO THUJONE, they instead use their best marketing speak to say they contain the MAXIMUM amount allowed by law. While what they are saying is most definitely true, it also reenforces the belief that more thujone is desirable.

If they were truly interested in educating the public they could simply reference the recent studies that show that pre-ban absinthes, for the most part, didn't contain much thujone, contrary to previous assumptions.

But I think that might be just too much work for them. I think they'd prefer to retain those potential customers by luring them in with MAXIMUM thujone amounts.

So, in conclusion, looking at the facts, one can only conclude that Crillon and their brands care more for extravagant marketing than they do about creating a superior product. Why is it that so many of the firms that have the most available capital tend to skimp on the product?

If Crillon had any sense about them, they'd hire someone who actually has a large amount of experience with absinthe and its history to work with their marketing department.

Yours in absinthe,

Brian

Arrette Unique from Tequila Rack

2010-08-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I was in my local ABC store on Leesburg Pike, when I spotted some interesting bottles in the 'tall cotton' case. Right next to the Glenlivet 21 (picked up a bottle of that too), I saw several tequilas I'd never seen before.

Always one to experiment with new findings, I asked the owner what he knew. Apparently not much... However, he did mention that other connoisseurs he knew were buying them on a regular basis. I said 'What the heck', and picked up one of each.

Tequila Rack tequilas are designed for tastings. From their website:

The International Tasting Group has sourced several of the finest boutique Tequileras in Mexico and assembled their products of Micro Tequilas as a collection to be sampled and compared. Each Tequila has its own unique story.
The flavor variations come from the differences in the soil within the appellation of origin where the Weber Blue Agaves are grown, as well as the kinds of water and yeast used in the distillation process and the length of time and types of barrels used for aging. The color of each brand depends on how long it has been aged and what type of barrel was used. These differences all combine to give an array of flavors, aromas, textures and mouth-feels to our collection of Mexico’s finest Tequilas.

So let's take a look at each brand. I'll be featuring a new one every few days.

Arrette Unique

Named after the horse ridden in the 1948 Olympics that led to two gold medals for Mexico, Arette is distilled at the Tequileria El Llano, one of the oldest Tequilerias in the town of Tequila.

This tequila is classified as 'Extra-Anejo', having been aged in white oak casks for 6 years. It lends a wonderful woody flavor, with a smooth texture.

Lots of aromas and flavors of vanilla and caramel with touches of flowers and a lovely earthiness.

Flavor is a blend of very nice agave with baking spices, wood, and even some orange peel. The finish lasts forever.

This is a fantastic tequila. Seriously. While it's on the expensive side, and hard to find, it's worthwhile for ANY tequila lover to find a bottle. I'd buy it at twice the price.

Tesseron Cognacs

2010-08-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

I've been a fan of Tesseron cognacs for quite some time, but they have remained in relative obscurity until a few months ago. At least in the circles I run in. Thanks to David Nathan-Maister at Finest and Rarest, some light has been shed on the brand. So much so, that I thought I'd go out and replenish my supply and do some reviews. A big shout out to Joe Riley at Ace Beverage in Washington DC, who had a good selection from the line.

First, a bit of brand history, blatantly copied from David's Tesseron page, which is one of the most informative I've found on the brand:

Cognac Tesseron is one of the great secrets of Cognac. Abel Tesseron created the company in 1905, relying at the time on two separate estates, one situated in the Grande Champagne area (Boneuil) and the other in Petite Champagne (Saint-Surin). He adopted a long term policy of buying up stocks of the oldest and finest eaux-de-vie, carefully conserved in a twelfth century crypt. Despite a very low public profile, this little known firm is today revered in the region, as owners of the largest stocks of great old cognac in existence. In their legendary innermost cellar or paradis, lie an incredible 2200 glass demijohns (most around 25 litres) of cognac dating from between 1825 and 1906, painstakingly built up by three generations of the Tesseron family. This treasure trove of 19th century cognac is supplemented by hundreds of oak casks of the very finest cognac dating from the first half of the 20th century. There is no comparable collection in Cognac or anywhere else - the Tesseron holdings are unique, and irreplaceable.

And now my thoughts on each:

Lot 90 'Selection': aromas of pears, membrillo, maple and soda bread. Taste is young, with leather, honey and dried fruits. A great ever day cognac. Good for Earthquake cocktails too.

Lot 76 'Tradition': Only made from Grande Champagne cognacs. A deeper and richer color than the 90. The aroma is also more delicate. Tea and mulled fruits. Flavor is citrusy with a noticeable rancio from the aging. The grape base is quite evident. Very smooth finish.

Lot 65 'Emotion': A special gift decanter edition. Nose of plums, leather and nougat. Flavors consist of tobacco, nuts, honey and baking spices. A dash of water brings out wonderful dark chocolate notes both in the nose and the flavor.

Lot 53 'Perfection': Absolutely gorgeous topaz/copper color. Deep and exotic. Lots of chocolate and old books on the nose. Figs as well. The flavor and texture is thicker and spicier than the younger line. Lots of dark chocolate and white pepper. Fantastic stuff.

Lot 29 'Exception': The only cognac to ever score a perfect 100 from Robert Parker. I can see why. This is exceptional cognac. Lots of leather, chocolate, oak and even cherries on the nose. The flavor is full of the same, along with a wonderful rancio (organic, earthy, mushroomy, umami type of aroma and flavor indicative of aged eau de vies). Spectacular.

Mixology Monday is All About Absinthe this week!

2010-02-22T13:55:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Sonja at Thinking of Drinking for letting me know about this week's theme for Mixology Monday.

I'm submitting a cocktail that I worked on at the request of a dear friend of mine who wanted to have a cocktail made in her dearly departed cat's honor.

This wasn't designed to be a strong drink. I went more in the vein of a spritzer, or even something similar to a Pimm's Cup. It was designed to be tasty, complex and still refreshing.

So, without further ado, the Purring Schubie cocktail:

0.5 oz Meyer Lemon juice

0.5 oz absinthe (I used Leopold's for it's light, fruity aroma and flavor)

1 oz Sazerac rye

1 oz gin (Plymouth or Voyager)

4 oz dry ginger ale (preferably Fever Tree)

healthy dash of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir until chilled. Split the mixture between two cocktail glasses. Lemon peel to garnish.

Another version calls for Green Chartreuse in replacement of the absinthe. It adds a more savory and peppery flavor and overall feel. I actually prefer it to the absinthe based one, but they are both tasty. Due to its spicier character, that version has been coined 'Schubie is pissed'.

Ten Gins and how to best drink them

2010-02-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of gin. Not only is it a staple for creating many of the best cocktails, but it also works so well just splashed with some club soda or, more widely, with tonic water. And where would the martini be without gin? Yes people, martinis are made with gin, not vodka!

In any case, as gin has grown in popularity due to the cocktail renaissance, more and more brands are being discovered on local shelves. With that in mind, I decided to put together a list of 10 that you'll commonly find in the DC area. My hopes are to give you a good idea of how you can use many of them, since the flavor spectrum is quite wide-ranging. In the next few weeks, I hope to add another 10 or so, including some of the more household names, like Tanqueray, Bombay and Beefeater. But since those already probably have a place in your bar, I wanted to give you some info on brands you might be considering adding.

Keep in mind, this is only one man's (my) opinion on each of the brands and what suits my palate best, but I though it might be interesting for those of you who like gin.

Plymouth
Nose: Juniper and citrus
Taste: Light with hints of lavender. A bit drier than Voyager (below)
Best for: Any normal gin cocktail, but especially for those sensitive to too much juniper
Best Tonic accompaniment: Fever Tree, Stirrings or possibly Q

Voyager
Nose: Clean, flowery, a touch of mint and pine
Taste: Also very clean. Refreshing juniper with just a hint of sweetness
Best for: Any cocktail calling for a good gin. Works equally well in sweet, citrusy or savory cocktails.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Fever Tree, Stirrings, Q or Fentimans.

Leopold
Nose: Pine, earthiness, some flowers and a touch of caramel
Taste: Minty and a bit on the savory side due to the orris. Light flavors of peppermint, Pumello and anise.
Best for: Cocktails that call for gin as well as a darker spirit such as a whiskey. Also for gin cocktails that call for Chartreuse. Good G&T also.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Fentimans

Bulldog
Nose: Mainly Juniper, but an extremely weak aroma overall
Taste: A bit sweet. Unbalanced and a bit more viscous than most gins
Best for: Cocktails involving fruit juices
Best Tonic accompaniment: Not recommended for G&Ts, because it gets overwhelmed by the tonic, but if pressed, I’d recommend Schweppes.

Bluecoat
Nose: Pine and aloe with crisp and dry juniper and citrus
Taste: Herbal. Juniper and orange peel. A hint of candy cane
Best for: Most gin cocktails will work well, but citrus ones especially.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Fever Tree

Hendricks
Nose: fresh citrus, juniper, flowers and cucumber
Taste: bright and refreshing with hints of juniper, white pepper and lavender. Cucumber as well, of course.
Best for: Artisinal cocktails. Especially those calling for tea, vegetal or savory ingredients.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Fentimans

Barcelona
Nose: cloves and mint. LOTS of vanilla.
Taste: Extremely sweet for gin. Flavor similar to vanilla mints with hints of juniper. Similar to an Old Tom style more than a London Dry style.
Best for: Sweeter cocktails that might get adversely affected by too much juniper flavor.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Not recommended for G&Ts because of the sweetness, although it worked OK with Hansens.

Sunset Hills
Nose: Juniper and alcohol
Taste: sweet and a bit chalky. Unbalanced.
Best for: basic house G&Ts.
Best Tonic accompaniment: Schweppes or Canada Dry.

Genevieve
Nose: similar to a beer spirit with hints of distilled barley, not unlike an unaged malt whisky
Taste: sweet juniper, with spices and an earthy texture. Again, eerily reminiscent of an unaged whisky
Best for: Old style cocktails; many of which used Dutch style gins.
Best Tonic accompaniment: I don’t recommend this style of gin for G&Ts.

Haymans Old Tom
Nose: extremely light. Not much discernible.
Taste: very sweet with hints of holiday spices and pecan pie
Best for: vintage cocktail recipes calling for Old Tom gin
Best Tonic accompaniment: I don’t recommend this style of gin for G&Ts.

Busy much?

2009-12-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

OK, so I've totally fallen off of the radar when it comes to posting entries. It's been a hectic year. I haven't even been able to keep my bar list up to date. But things have calmed down some, so I've got some things in mind that I'll be posting soon.

Check back later this week for an interesting commentary on the marketing of a certain absinthe brand!

A closer look at Pernod

2009-12-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

As Pernod begins to revamp their current absinthe product (we'll talk more about that later) with a brand new website and a new label, they are making more and more claims about their 1805 distillery in France being the first absinthe distillery.

“In 1805, Henri-Louis Pernod partnered with Major Dubied to found Pernod Fils and the first commercial absinthe distillery."

A similar statement is also made on their label, again suggesting that the distillery in France was the first absinthe distillery.

Really? This doesn't match the information on Pernod's own website http://www.pernod.net/histoire/index.htm where it states:

"At the end of the 18th century, a man by the name of Major Dubied began distilling the elixir professionally. A few years later in 1805, his son-in-law, Henri-Louis Pernod, opened a distillery in France."

Collectors have located and posted a 1896 Maison Pernod Fils promotional booklet http://www.oxygenee.com/1896-Pernod-Fils-Translation.pdf which states:

"Little by little, however, thanks to its fragrance and pleasant taste, the elixir came to the attention of not only the sick, but to that of more and more fans, so that the recipe had already acquired monetary value when when Mr. Henri-Louis Pernod acquired it to exploit it commercially. This happened in 1797. It was at that time the first absinthe factory was built. The establishment was created under extremely modest conditions, even for Couvet; the building where the industry was born still exists; it measures eight meters long by four meters broad by four meters high. Subsequently enlarged, the factory was not long in becoming too small and, in 1805, Mr. Pernod not being able to satisfy demand by the French customers which had taken to his product with a marked favor, fixed upon Pontarlier as the place to avoid the high taxes levied by the tax department upon Swiss Absinthe."

In short, literature produced by Pernod in 1896 and on their internet site today contradicts the 1805 claim at the top of the article: Switzerland, and in particular, Couvet remain the birthplace of absinthe, despite Pernod's attempt to annex it! Not to mention the fact that the evidence above shows Pernod wasn't the 'creator' of absinthe.

Now let's move on to the marketing of the product and the product itself.

Having researched absinthe's history for years, I've run in to multiple accounts of the controversies surrounding absinthe, and its prohibition throughout much of the world in the early 1900s.

Many of the myths surrounding absinthe, such as its ability to case hallucinations were largely popularized during the 1990's, during the rise of 'Bohemian style' absinths, which bear no resemblance to the Belle Epoque products of France and Switzerland. Mentions of hallucinations during the Belle Epoque were in relation to end-stage alcoholic patients who were going through alcohol withdrawal in sanitariums, and were not directly related to absinthe consumption specifically.

However, on Pernod's website, this passage can be seen:

Why would a brand which was victimized by prohibitionist fears and competing interests during the Belle Epoque use the same information that was once used to bring about its demise? Has Pernod eschewed quality, integrity and truth in favor of a campaign that attracts a crowd that cut its teeth on Bohemian brands looking for the next high?

Well, why don't we take a look at the product itself? From Pernod's marketing material:

Pernod® Aux Plantes d'Absinthe Superieur is based on the original absinthe recipe and today returns to restore its reputation for quality and handcrafted excellence. This 136 proof spirit is distilled from three primary ingredients, Grande Wormwood, Fennel, and Star Anis producing a light green and hint of amber color with a dominant flavor of anis, balanced with wormwood and a citrusy finish.

Having tried samples of Pernod Fils from multiple bottles ranging from the late 1800's through its Spanish brands in the 1960s, the new product bears little resemblance to the original. In a sense, the above statement is true (you can base a recipe on something, but have it be completely different). But in the same sense, ALL absinthes are loosely based on the same original recipe.

Here are some comparisons.

1)Pernod Fils absinthe of the Belle Epoque was naturally colored by soaking herbs in the distillate and drawing out the chlorophyll. The new brand is artificially colored as noted on its label.

2)Pernod Fils absinthe of the Belle Epoque used a recipe with high quality wormwood. The new brand has a barely detectable wormwood flavor. What flavor is there doesn't speak to high quality herb choice.

3) Pernod Fils absinthe of the Belle Epoque had a flavor that was dominated by high quality green anise. The new brand has the telltale flavor and aroma of lower quality star anise. Which by the way, is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper as well.

4) Pernod Fils absinthe of the Belle Epoque exudes quality and points to high quality base alcohol and herbs. The new brand does not. It would not surprise me in the slightest if I found out much of the flavor came from oils and extracts as opposed to distilled herbs.

5) During the Wormwood Society's first annual blind tasting event, held in September of 2009, Pernod absinthe scored 17th out of 22 brands. Below Pernod were Le Tourment Verte, Mata Hari, La Fee, Koruna and Green Fairy. Several of those aren't even considered absinthes by experienced drinkers. That doesn't point to quality.

Make no mistake. Pernod Fils was THE gold standard of absinthe during the Belle Epoque. I just wish they took the time to employ the same level of quality and care in their new brand. Especially since they advertise it as a product of high quality. It's extremely disappointing to see the direction the new product has taken. It's even more disappointing to see so many of their regional reps having little or no education regarding absinthe, its history and its preparation.

For reviews of Pernod absinthe, please check out the Wormwood Society's review page.

*Footnote: Calls and emails to Pernod to get their comments on the above have not been returned.

Absinthe Original - Don't Believe the Hype

2009-11-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

Over the past 2 years or so, we've seen an amazing shift in much of the marketing surrounding absinthe.

While proponents of authentic absinthe have always maintained that properly distilled absinthe is low in thujone, and that absinthe doesn't cause any deliterious effects aside from that of normal alcohol, others had used carefuly crafted misinformation and preyed on the club crowd with promises of aphrodisiacs and hallucinations.

Many of the brands who were touting their high thujone content before absinthe was again legalized in the US coincidentally and quietly began removing claims of hallucinations and other wild effects from their promo material. Many of them blatantly changed the thujone information on their websites without an explanation. All of them just so happen to now fall below the legal limit in the US of 10 ppm of thujone. Funny that.

But even with so many companies changing around their lies (no, not telling the truth, just telling different lies) to make a quick buck, some have steadfastly held on to their mantra of "drink now, ask why the effects didn't happen later."

Enter the promotional material I received from Absinthe Original today via email. Here's what they had to say about their product:

The so-called absinthe available in the U.S. contains no thujone, the psychoactive element that gives real absinthe its kick. Other absinthe manufacturers, (particularly those selling in the US), are so scared at the stigma of thujone that they decide not to use wormwood in their beverages. Yet, without wormwood, many wouldn’t consider liquor a true absinthe. Such reasoning is appropriate, especially considering the fact that real absinthe is derived from wormwood’s scientific name, Artemisia Absinthium.
However, our range of REAL ABSINTHE ORIGINAL is made from 100% wormwood, so you can be assured you’ll be getting the real thing if you decide to order securely and safely online.

So, in response, I've put together some educational information for those of you out there still wondering whether there really is something to all of the hype doled out by unscrupulous marketers such as those above. Let's dissect the above paragraph:

The so-called absinthe available in the U.S. contains no thujone, the psychoactive element that gives real absinthe its kick. - While it is indeed true that the U.S. has a legal limit of 10 ppm of thujone, this sentence is still very misleading.

Thujone is not a recreational drug. Thujone does not provide any enjoyable effects. In high enough levels, thujone can cause renal failure and seizures, but I wouldn't consider that desireable.
The term 'real' absinthe should refer to what was being consumed during the height of absinthe's popularity in the Belle Epoque. That being the case, Absinthe Original doesn't posess the qualities of 'real' absinthe.
'Real' absinthe of the Belle Epoque did not have high levels of thujone, contrary to what antiquated scientific theories hypothesized. The most recent studies have shown that many Belle Epoque absinthes had thujone levels that fell BELOW the legal US limits! Almost all of those that were analyzed fell below the EU legal limit of 35 ppm.
Many absinthes that claim to have high thujone levels in fact have very little if any thujone, according to EU analysis of many online brands.

Other absinthe manufacturers, (particularly those selling in the US), are so scared at the stigma of thujone that they decide not to use wormwood in their beverages. - This is patently false. There is only one brand in the US that has decided to use something other than the traditional wormwood (Artimisia Absinthium): Absente. They began using Southern Wormwood (Artimisia Abrotanum). All other brands (that I'm aware of) that have been produced and/or sold in the US since 2007's legalization utilize authentic Artimisia Absinthium.

Yet, without wormwood, many wouldn’t consider liquor a true absinthe. Such reasoning is appropriate, especially considering the fact that real absinthe is derived from wormwood’s scientific name, Artemisia Absinthium. - Absolutely true. The Wormwood Society does not recognize Absente as an absinthe.

However, our range of REAL ABSINTHE ORIGINAL is made from 100% wormwood, so you can be assured you’ll be getting the real thing if you decide to order securely and safely online. - If you're looking for the 'real thing', the spirit that was consumed during the Belle Epoque, Absinthe Original isn't it. Feel free to view the Wormwood Society's review. And if the product is made from 100% wormwood, then that technically (I'm nitpicking here, I know) would mean that they don't use any other herbs, thereby making this a Wormwood Bitters, NOT an absinthe.

Lastly, levels of thujone do not indicate quality of absinthe. There is absolutely no evidence to point to any mention of thujone levels in Belle Epoque advertizing of absinthe. It wasn't a factor. It only became popular during the 1990's when brands such as Absinthe Original began to hype it as a way to drive sales to club goers.

As a parting gift, I leave you with a passage from the Lancet, published in 1868 in response to the original assertions that Absinthe itself deliterious effects:

“For our own part, we have never been convinced that there is anything in the symptoms of acute or chronic absinthism as they are described, essentially different from those of acute or chronic alcoholism which has been produced by the imbibition of innumerable drams of any spirit.
We have repeatedly seen the whole train of symptoms, which are now so much talked of, produced by the constant drinking of brandy or rum. As for hallucinations, there is nothing more common. At any rate, it will take a good deal of very solid and precise evidence to convince us that the trifling amount of essence of wormwood contained in the liquor called absinthe, adds any considerable poisonous power to the natural influence of some 20 or 30 ounces per diem of a highly concentrated alcohol.”

- “Absinthe,” The Lancet, Volume 91, Issue 2332, 8 May, 1868

May and June's Goings On

2009-06-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

Not only was June a good month for my bar (see previous post), it was good for a multitude of other reasons as well. May had quite a few good memories as well! Here's a rundown of some of the major points:

1) Boston Trip: The trip up to Boston was wonderful. I was able to interview 16 different fund managers to get some insight into their funds and the markets, which gave me some great talking points. After the conference, I met up with Scuto and RJordan from the Wormwood Society and Fee Verte so we could head to 'Drink' for a few cocktails.

The bar was fantastic, with great atmosphere, fantastic mixologists, and unbelievable drinks. We had one cocktail newb, and one non-drinker in the party (I was neither), so it was a interesting group for a cocktail bar. We were lucky enough to pair up with Misty Kalkofen, mixologist extraordinaire and founder of LUPEC Boston, who got right down to asking us what types of drinks we liked, then began her art of drink construction from there. Over the course of the next few hours, she made for me multiple cocktails with Rye and Absinthe as a base, and branching out into Chartreuse amongst other things. Of those I took note, I had a Diamond Back, a Sazerac, a Vieux Carre and a Lawhill. We also got to sample some of their tasty Hibiscus Punch. Scuto got some of those, but other goodies as well. I was happy to see how his experience totally blew away his expectations! I think we've got a convert.

I highly recommend you seek out Drink and Misty if you're ever in Boston.

2) The long awaited Absinthe article I'd been working on for Mutineer Magazine was published last week! I pulled Gwydion Stone from Marteau Absinthe and the WS as well as Ted Breaux of the Jade and Lucid brands to help put together a kind of Absinthe 101. Lots of history and information, but high level enough that it could hold anyone's attention. It's a fantastic magazine anyway, so I suggest EVERYONE buys a subscription. It's so cheap, and it's totally worth it.

3) Monteleone Cocktail Competition - For the 60th Anniversary of the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, the hotel, in conjunction with the organizers of the Tales of the Cocktail, held a contest to create the new Monteleone Cocktail. Entries came in from around the world, from some of the best mixologists. The entries were pared down to 5 finalists based on ingredients, ease of preparation, taste and relation to New Orleands. Those 5 cocktails were judged by the finalists of last year's Top Chef competition.

According to the organizers, my cocktail was the overwhelming favorite! So now my cocktail will be a feature on the cocktail menu at the Carousel Bar and I'll also get a 4 night stay for free at the hotel during the TotC! Here's a picture of the Top Chef crowd with my cocktail and following that is the recipe:

2 oz Sazerac Rye
1 1/2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz Domaine De Canton Ginger Liqueur
2 dashes Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
Splash of Ginger Ale

Shake ingredients and strain into a julep cup or cocktail glass with crushed ice. Garnish with orange slice.

4) Lastly the Wormwood Society is now on Twitter and also on Facebook. We will be doing Top Ten lists and plenty of other cool information about absinthe each week. Make sure to follow us!

June Bar Update

2009-06-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

June was a busy, busy month for me, both professionally and also outside of work. Several business trips allowed me to seek out some great liquor stores in my free time so I was able to find some things I can't normally get in the DC area. I got some goodies this month!

Stirrings Simple Syrup
Stirrings Grenadine (Imbibe magazine's top Grenadine)
Fentiman's Fermented Tonic Water (AWESOME!!)
Carpano Antica Vermouth
Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters Absinthe
Delaware Phoenix Meadow of Love Absinthe
Del Maguey Pechuga Mezcal
Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal
Del Maguey Tobala Mezcal
Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal (Mezcal with Agave syrup)
Corzo Plata tequila
Centenario Hibiscus tequila
Hudson Valley Rye
Spirit of the Hudson Apple vodka
Absinth Supreme
Voyager Gin
Compass Box Asyla Whisky
Compass Box Oak Cross Whisky
Clear Creek Eau de Vie Limosine Cask aged
Nonino Chestnut Honey distillate (distilled honey taken from bees who only foraged on chestnut trees)
Nonino Citrus Tree Honey distillate (same as above, only with citrus trees)

Pretty good month!

Off to Boston!

2009-05-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I leave for a quicky trip to Boston to grill some fund managers. When I return, I plan to add a few new posts, including one on what is apparently the best cocktail bar in Boston: 'Drink'. We'll see. *Devil Grin*

Absinthe Tasting with Gary Vaynerchuck

2009-04-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

So, here it is! After working on this for close to a year, we finally found a date that would work for both of us. Click below to be taken to the WS site where you can view the video (30 min.).

Here's the back story:

I've been watching Gary do wine tastings on his site, WineLibraryTV.com for quite a while now. I've always enjoyed his high energy, no pretense approach to wine. It brings it out of the stuffy shadows and snobbery that a lot of people equate with wine specialists. If you didn't know, his show is available on iTunes, so it can be automatically downloaded each day.

Anyway, back in July of last year, I was surprised to see an episode of Scotch pop up, and I got to thinking: if he is branching out and doing other things, he'd probably be interested in trying an absinthe episode.

I emailed him the next day, explaining to him who I am and a little about absinthe. I told him that in many ways, I liken absinthe to wine, in that after it's properly diluted, it has the same relative strength, and just as much depth of flavor.

I heard back within the day, with Gary saying he loved the idea! Planning the date proved to be harder than anticipated, but we finally nailed it down about two months ago.

All in all, it was a great experience. My only disapointment was that we were forced to cut out one of the brands I brought due to time constraints. Sorry to Marc Bernhard and his wonderful absinthe, Pacifique. I didn't have a choice in the matter.

Monthly update: Latest acquisitions

2009-03-29T09:31:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the first monthly bar acquisition update. Each month I'll at least try to remember what I've obtained for my bar. This month, it's pretty easy to remember, since most of it came in recently:

I took a jaunt downtown to visit fellow WS member, Joe Riley at Ace Beverage in NW DC after a meeting. While it's not the biggest store I've seen, as he said, "We make due with what we've got." That he does. They've got an amazing selection of some great liquors and wines that I haven't been able to find anywhere else, including all of the Del Magey Mezcal offerings, Marteau absinthe, the full line of Haus Alpenz offerings and a ton more. I took the opportunity to complete my Haus Alpenz collection as well as pick up some other syrups I'd been meaning to get.

Along with that, I received some nice goody bags throughout the month too.

Added:

Scarlet Ibis bespoke rum
Battavia Arrack
Fee Brothers Orgeat
Agave Syrup
La Fee X.S. (yuck)
Bob's Bitters from the U.K. - Lavender, Cardamom, Coriander, Vanilla, Licorice, Grapefuit, and Ginger

New Totals:
Absinthe (not including vintage): 135
Gin: 16
Rum: 15
Scotch: 57
Tequila/Mezcal: 10
Vodka: 16
Whiskey: 29

Others (cordials, schnapps, etc): 97

Latest Absinthe Tasting

2009-03-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I last updated the blog, but I've been overwhelmed with projects, both in my real job, and outside of it. Since noone here cares about my finance stories, I'll totally skip over that and update you instead on everything else!

1) Big news on the absinthe education front. I've enlisted the help of several Wormwood Society members to contribute to an upcoming absinthe feature in a prominant magazine. It will be both the cover story and also an 8+ page spread. It should be great! I'll hold off on announcing which publication until everything is finalized.

2) I'll be visiting with Gary 'Vay-ner-CHUCK' on WineLibraryTV to go over several brands of absinthe that are now available in the US. We tape on April 8th. I'll post airing info as it becomes available.

3) The latest date for the TasteDC Absinthe Tasting event has been set for May 14th again at the Chi Cha Lounge in NW DC. I believe the house absinthes will still be featured (Kubler, Lucid and Pernod) as well as several others that I've been able to procure, which at this point will probably be Marteau, Leopold Brothers and Obsello with a potential showing of Pacifique. The last event went fabulously, although I did have some trip ups with the history presentation. I'd tried to throw too much into too little time and it got a little sloppy. This time it should go much more smoothly, since I know exactly how much time I have.

4) Posted a point/counterpoint article regarding some new 'absinth' (notice there's no 'e') products coming to the U.S. market over on The Real Absinthe Blog.

Upcoming entries:
1) A post about the last absinthe tasting event
2) Another Scotch tasting event recap
3) A roundup of the WineLibraryTV taping

See you around!

The Durian cometh...

2009-03-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

For years, I'd been hearing about a fruit that was so offensive to the olfactory sense, that in some countries, it's against the law to consume it in public, or even carry it on public transportation. Trouble is, until recently, I never had a clue where I could find any.

In the past two years, I've seen many a travel show have a segment or two on the Durian fruit. Andrew Zimmern tried it in three separate episodes, and could never finish more than one or two bites. Here's one of his experiences.

Anthony Bourdain on the other hand, slops it up like the best stinky cheeses.

If two of my favorite food show hosts had such disparate views on it, which side of the coin would I fall on?

First was my quest to find a purveyor. Luckily, the DC area is chock full of Asian markets that sell all sorts of durian comestibles: Fresh, frozen, durian juice, durian ice cream, durian Popsicles, etc. I thought my best bet would be just to go with durian au naturale.

On my way home from the market, I quickly realized that there was no way my wife was going to let me eat this thing in the house. Even in it's partially frozen state, it still stank to high heaven! Think rotten egg, onion and vanilla pudding all mixed up in a big ol' bucket. That's durian aroma for you.

Grabbing a cutting board, I brought it out onto the deck to continue to thaw. It would be mine the following day...

Properly rested and prepared for my culinary journey, I grabbed my trusty cleaver and walked out to meet my new friend.

Now thoroughly thawed, I could tell that I was a very very lucky man to have kept it outside as opposed to in the house overnight. Even with the breeze, the smell permeated everything. It's unmistakable, and unavoidable. And it only gets stronger when you cut into it. As you open it, you do get a bit more of a sweet scent, which makes it a bit more tolerable, but still not a scent that most Americans equate with anything other than spoilage. Something similar to old pumpkin. You know, the smell you get about a week after Halloween, when your carved pumpkins start to get a bit gamey?

I'd heard from several sources that durian is best eaten with your nose plugged, as the smell and taste aren't necessarily linked. I'd beg to differ.

The taste itself is odd. Not totally off-putting, but not totally enjoyable either. It's a combination of custard, papaya, celery, squash, and shallots. The sweetness is what you first taste, then you get the shallot/light sweet onion flavor in the back of the mouth. It's something that brings two distinct emotions, one of wanting to gag, but one wanting to have more. You have to keep reminding yourself that the oniony flavor isn't due to rotting, or going bad, it's just the natural flavor.

The texture is probably the strangest part. The only way to describe it is like very hard scrambled eggs, with a bit of the membraney/stringy type texture of overripe mango. It's tough to get used to.

I think the hardest thing to deal with is the 'recurrences'. Durian seems to fester in your stomach, creating a lot of gasses that you regurgitate for the next several hours, which taste and smell just as strongly as the actual fruit. Definitely keep stocks of breathmints and Beano.

Overall, it's not bad, but you definitely have to have an open mind when you attack it. It's something that, at first taste, I wasn't very fond of, but becomes an acquired taste. Now, I can eat them without a problem. But, as Anthony Bourdain said, durian is definitely best eaten alone.

My empire expands!

2009-03-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

OK, that's overdoing it. But in either case, I'm happy to announce that I have been asked to become a co-author of Alan Moss' baby, the Real Absinthe Blog!

I'm excited to be part of such an active resource. I think it will fit well as a companion to the Wormwood Society, as each focuses on separate yet related issues. The Wormwood Society's main page focuses mainly on educational resources, while the RAB focuses more on current events and interviews. Both are sorely needed during this all-too-important time of absinthe's infancy in the U.S. market, where as much TRUE information as possible is required to see absinthe become a staple in every bar. We'll also be working towards the goal of separating inherent product interests from unbiased information.

Further, I feel it will help to bring to fruition our goal of providing a Wormwood Society e-zine. While it's not at the forefront of most agendas right now, I think it will be an indispensible addition once it gets off the ground.

Thanks to Alan Moss for his consideration. I'm looking forward to the blog's continued success!

Bruichladdich Octomore edition 01.1

2009-03-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to be able to snag one of only 6000 bottles issued of the Octomore. Clocking in at approximately $200, it ain't cheap, but it's a piece of history. It also sold out before it even hit the shelves.

Octomore contains 131 ppm (parts per million) phenol, making it the world's most heavily peated whisky. According to the distillery, it's three times more peated than any other whisky on the market. Although, that's obviously not taking into account the new Ardbeg supernova, which is calculated to be 100 ppm.

Overall, I was really impressed with how delicate the peating was. I was expecting to be punched in the face with an ashtray full of spent churchills, but instead, the smoke gently played on the tongue and married well with the honeyed sweetness that is characteristic of it's young age. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of smoke. But it's not overwhelming. Unlike the sharpness of the smoke from something like the Lagavulin 16, this whisky has much more depth.

It's invigorating, with lots of vanilla and pear competing (or should I say playing nice) with the tar and cigar smoke. The mouth feel is velvety, and the finish lasts forever. Overall, this is a wonderful whisky. Much more appealing than I'd imagined it would be. I'm hoping to be a contender to get a bottle when they release the 10 year and 15 year editions.

Scotch tasting on 1-16-09

2009-03-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

I had been discussing Scotch with a client of mine when he mentioned that he had a Scotch club that meets once a month or so to review a few. I offered to do a tasting out of my personal stash, which was well received.

After going over a few options as to what to present, we decided on a rundown of the Whisky producing regions of Scotland. Since the Highlands area has such a wide diversity of flavors, I chose to include two separate offerings from that region.

We went over some of the basics of Scotch, including how it's produced, the laws surrounding Whisky production in Scotland, and also what influences the flavor of the final product. Then we got into the drink!

From lightest to heaviest:

Lowlands: Auchentoshan 16 y.o. 58.9% - A.D. Ratray Special bottling
Nose: soda bread, sweet meringue and citrus
Flavor: citrus, honey, malt and grass
Notes: Very easy to sip. I'd consider this closer to the profile of an Irish whisky than a Scotch.

Central Highlands: Edradour 10 y.o.
Nose: creamy and nutty with a light sweetness
Flavor: Sweet with almonds with a gentle hint of smoke. Dry on the finish

Speyside: BenRiach 16 y.o. 46%
Nose: hazlenuts, honey and toast
Flavor: malty, fruity and sweet with soft mulled spices and vanilla. Just a touch of smoke.

East Highlands: Glen Garioch 15 y.o. 46% - Whisky Galore Special Bottling
Nose: Lavender and oak
Flavor: medium bodied, fuller mouth feel than the previous three, slight smokiness, quite peppery in the finish.

Campeltown: Glen Scotia 12 y.o. 62.3% - Gordon McPhail Special Cask Strength Bottling
Nose: Spicy with hints of mulled wine and plums
Flavor: Very peppery, spicy and oily with good peating
Notes: Watering brought out strong notes of milk chocolate

Islay: Lagavulin 16 y.o.
Nose: cognac and chocolate with a touch of clover
Flavor: heavy and oily. Starts sweet and finishes very smoky.
Notes: Water brings out a bit of plastic in both the aroma and flavor

Overall, the tasting went wonderfully. The crowd favorite for the evening was the Glen Garioch.

Meager beginnings...

2009-03-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

With so much going on with my food and drink explorations, I thought it was apropos that I begin a formal blog to document everything.

So, let me introduce myself.

My wife and I moved to the DC area back in 2000, where I immediately began setting up and growing my financial planning practice. I love what I do. I sleep good at night knowing I'm helping clients reach their financial goals. I also have an obsession with the psychology of investing, and how it affects someone's ability to make the right financial decisions. My job helps me quench that thirst.

My alter ego is a major foodie and enjoys all types of liquid delights. Liquor, beer, wine, tea, coffee, etc. It's all golden to me. This site will be a repository of all of my experiences.

I regularly do Scotch and Absinthe tastings for clients and others, so those events will be recorded here, as well as any other event I deem worthy of publishing.

I'll be doing several 'distillery reviews' in the near future as well, going down the list of offerings from many of the artisinal producers and giving you my thoughts.

So, here's a list of some of the things you can expect in the coming few months:

1) Distillery reviews of Leopold Brothers and Tuthilltown.
2) Write-ups of two Scotch tasting events recently done
3) Write-ups of several absinthe tastings held at Chi-Cha Lounge in conjunction with TasteDC.com
4) Hour by hour updates of the 2009 Tales of the Cocktail event in New Orleans in July.
5) Updates on several formal absinthe blind tasting events which will be held in July and September
6) Several restaurant reviews
7) Overviews of some of the better liquor stores in the DC area
8) Cocktail reviews

Be seeing you soon!