Post #186691 by captnkirk on Wed, Sep 14, 2005 8:14 PM

First off the drink you probably found in Japan at that time was "Hermes Absinthe". It is/was 116 proof and is not really absinthe, it is what the French call a pastis. Literature put out by the Suntory distillery clearly states that "original Absinthe was made from wormwood, which was found to be dangerous, so Hermes Absinthe uses Anis instead" The flavor of real absinthe comes from wormwood, fennel and anis seed (and a handfull of other herbs in lesser quantities according the brand).

I like the stuff and I drink a brand called "Deva Absenta" from Spain which is realativly inexpensive. The best brand I have ever tasted is called Edouard 72. It is a recreation of now banned Edouard Pernod which I am told is very accurate.
It costs $100 a bottle and is available here: http:\www.bestabsinthe.com

P.S. Even though the first tiki drinks were mixed up after the ban on absinthe. Don the Beachcomber and maybe Trader Vic seemed to be able to obtain it and use it in some of their most famous drinks. Mix with it, it imparts a herbal quality to drinks with out the overwelming anis flavor that most of the absinthe substitutes have.