Top 10 Absinthe Brands and Best Absinthe

Absinthe a.k.a the green fairy has achieved legendary liquor status all around the world, its mystery is only exceeded by its power. Wait! that’s the Continuum Transfunctioner. Absinthe was once considered taboo because it was known to contain Thujone and Wormwood. Over time the stigma has been lifted and Authentic Absinthe with the full ingredients began to being sold within the United States.

Top 10 Absinthe Brands

Sure, you can stumble down to the local liquor store and buy a bottle of authentic Absinthe in the states, but will it be quality? The answer might surprise you. So how would you ever know which Absinthe brands are best? We’re going to attempt to fix this problem by listing the best absinthe brands European and American Absinthe.

Although wormwood-infused drinks have been used in medicine for thousands of years, when we speak of “absinthe” nowadays, we are evoking a very specific spirit that rose to popularity in France and Switzerland beginning in the 18th century.

There are many traditional drinks from around the world that contain Artemisia absinthium wormwood—vermouth, Scandinavian besk, Polish pio?unowka, some aquavits, etc.—and yet they are not absinthe. It takes more than simply including wormwood as an ingredient to be able to justifiably categorize a spirit as “absinthe.”

Now that authentic absinthe is once again legal and available for purchase in the United States, the Wormwood Society (the largest absinthe education organization in the world) wants to make sure consumers are prepared when they walk into their local liquor store.

You might be surprised to find out that much of what you see on the shelves either isn’t truly absinthe in the historic sense, or isn’t of the best quality. This article will help to arm all of you alcoholics out there who want to try their hand at dancing with the green fairy by explaining different types of absinthe, listing some of the top brands, and discussing what to look for when buying an absinthe.

Absinthe Rundown At A Glimpse

To put it concisely: Absinthe is an anise and wormwood flavored spirit, distilled from anise, fennel and absinthium wormwood. Absinthe takes its name from the main adjunct flavoring aside from anise, Artemisia absinthium, the common French name for which is “grande absinthe”.

Depending on the variety, the flavor of genuine absinthe is primarily that of anise and fennel enhanced with the subtle, meadow-like herbal bitterness of the wormwood. It’s not as bitter as its reputation suggests, and proper absinthe never has been, as can be attested by those who have tasted pre-ban absinthe. But there’s no denying it: it has a peculiar flavor and is often an acquired taste. As one gains experience in tasting absinthes, one can discern the various herbs which make up its complex and interesting flavor.

The flavor of absinthe is often associated with black licorice. The reason for this is that many licorice candies are actually flavored with star anise oil, the inexpensive flavoring used in lower quality absinthes. Premium absinthes use primarily green anise—the common aniseed—which has a much more balanced and mellow flavor and sometimes use whole star anise sparingly to supplement the green anise.

Absinthe reached Taboo status because it was known to contain a chemical known as thujone that was thought to cause hallucinations and other lucid effects. This chemical is what spurred absinthe’s ban status in the United States around 1915. This has since been proven to be misinformation.

The Truths About Absinthe

• Absinthe doesn’t cause hallucinations
• Absinthe isn’t terribly bitter (only imitations brands are)
• Thujone is not a recreational drug and doesn’t cause pleasant effects
• Thujone is not a drug
• Levels of thujone in pre-ban absinthe were not any higher than today’s authentic brands
• You don’t light absinthe on fire (this was invented by creators of nasty tasting fake absinthe)
• Absinthe isn’t bottled with sugar (it’s a liquor, not a liqueur)
• Absinthe in the U.S. is indeed authentic absinthe (as long as you buy good quality brands)

How to Drink Absinthe?

Absinthe is very high in alcohol content, usually in the 55% to 72% range (110 to 144 proof); for comparison, whisky is generally around 40%, or 80 proof. Absinthe, a high-proof concentrate, is intended to be served diluted with iced water at a ratio of approximately three to five parts water to one part absinthe. Alternatively it is used in small proportions as a cocktail ingredient, much like bitters. As mentioned above, lighting absinthe on fire has never been part of the traditional absinthe preparation. Not only can it be dangerous, but it also makes it taste terrible.
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