VERSINTHE (ABSINTHE)

45% vol. 70 cl. DF-MSRSP US $18.50

Absinthe was the drink of choice during one of history's most creative periods--the "Belle Époque" or the Parisienne Café Society in the late 19th and early 20th century. The alchemical ritual with the spoon was thought to be the first step to experiencing the lucidity and expanded consciousness that was attributed to Absinthe. Artists such as Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas, Manet, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautree, as well as poets such as Rimbaud, Verlaine, and Baudelaire, lived though absinthe, were identified with absinthe and made the "green hour" (5-7pm) an institution. As Absinthe denoted a certain "art" of living, it was also a frequent topic in their works. By the end of the 19th century, absinthe was the national drink of France and was universally popular throughout Europe, New Orleans and other parts of the world. Between 1912 and 1915 it was banned almost worldwide because of its high alcohol proof and because one of the key ingredients (wormwood) was discovered to contain a narcotic ingredient.

Now almost 90 years after its banishment, it has been resurrected in the form of the "retro-contemporary" Versinthe. In its new form, it does not include the illegal and bitter wormwood and its alcohol content has been lowered, resulting in a drink that has complex flavors that ought to be savored and enjoyed. Versinthe was developed in Aix en Provence, France. This city of art and culture, has a tradition for creating liqueurs and apéritifs from the abundance of "natures treasures" grown in the surrounding countryside.

Versinthe is an original aromatic herbal liqueur that uniquely combines the maceration and infusions of over 20 different plants and roots including two "mugworts." The herbal taste animated by star anise is refreshing, refined and smooth, and elegantly balances the bitterness and freshness of the mugworts with the subtlety and intrigue of the other plants. When diluted with water the light golden liqueur turns an opalescent emerald green. The aroma, taste, and coloring recreate the legendary character of absinthe: the "King of Apéritifs", "La Fée Verte", the rage of the "Paris Café Society", and history's most notorious liqueur, which was equally romanticized and maligned and banned!