Absinthe... discuss. - Tiki Drinks and Food

MM Mr. Moto Member Joined: Mar 08, 2010 Posts: 41	MM Mr. Moto Posted posted on Tue, Nov 9, 2010 7:32 PM Absinthe can be pricey, it's true; ironically, however, some of the worst stuff out there is the most expensive! Case in point: "King of Spirits Gold," an unspeakably awful Czech brand, retails for $200! By contrast, most of the good, authentic absinthes on the US market retail for around $55-$75, which isn't really so bad--especially when you consider that you only use dashes in cocktails and an ounce per serving in the traditional absinthe preparation (diluting 1 part absinthe with 3-5 parts cold water). A single bottle goes a long way. IMHO, the best bang for your buck is Vieux Carre, an absinthe distilled in Philadelphia which retails for around $55. While it's not a completely "traditional" absinthe (its herb bill includes mint and genepi, along with the usual anise, wormwood, and fennel), it's very tasty. Other good deals include Pacifique, which runs around $65, and Mansinthe (Marilyn Manson's absinthe, which is actually pretty good) at around $59. I'd also recommend Lucid and Kubler for folks wanting to get a sense of what a traditional verte and blanche, respectively, taste like. They're not the finest absinthes out there, but they're a good place to start and relatively inexpensive. My favorite absinthes currently on the US market are probably Delaware Phoenix Meadow of Love, Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters, Pacifique, Vieux Carre, and Marteau Absinthe de la Belle Epoque. Some are pricier than others (though none are normally over $80-$85), but all are delicious. If money is no object and you have a hankering to order fine absinthe from Europe(be prepared to pay out the nose for shipping, US residents), I'd definitely recommend the Jade line: PF 1901 (maybe my favorite commercial absinthe), Edouard, VS 1898, and Nouvelle-Orleans. Also excellent are La Berthe de Joux, Perroquet, and La Maison Fontaine from the Emile Pernot distillery in France, and Brevans AO Spare and Duplais Balance from the Matter distillery in Switzerland. IMO: Best place to order absinthe online in the US is DrinkUpNY at: http://www.drinkupny.com/category_s/86.htm Best place to order online internationally is Liqueurs de France at: http://www.absintheonline.com/index.html Hope this helps!

Absinthe can be pricey, it's true; ironically, however, some of the worst stuff out there is the most expensive! Case in point: "King of Spirits Gold," an unspeakably awful Czech brand, retails for $200!

By contrast, most of the good, authentic absinthes on the US market retail for around $55-$75, which isn't really so bad--especially when you consider that you only use dashes in cocktails and an ounce per serving in the traditional absinthe preparation (diluting 1 part absinthe with 3-5 parts cold water). A single bottle goes a long way.

IMHO, the best bang for your buck is Vieux Carre, an absinthe distilled in Philadelphia which retails for around $55. While it's not a completely "traditional" absinthe (its herb bill includes mint and genepi, along with the usual anise, wormwood, and fennel), it's very tasty. Other good deals include Pacifique, which runs around $65, and Mansinthe (Marilyn Manson's absinthe, which is actually pretty good) at around $59. I'd also recommend Lucid and Kubler for folks wanting to get a sense of what a traditional verte and blanche, respectively, taste like. They're not the finest absinthes out there, but they're a good place to start and relatively inexpensive.

My favorite absinthes currently on the US market are probably Delaware Phoenix Meadow of Love, Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters, Pacifique, Vieux Carre, and Marteau Absinthe de la Belle Epoque. Some are pricier than others (though none are normally over $80-$85), but all are delicious.

If money is no object and you have a hankering to order fine absinthe from Europe(be prepared to pay out the nose for shipping, US residents), I'd definitely recommend the Jade line: PF 1901 (maybe my favorite commercial absinthe), Edouard, VS 1898, and Nouvelle-Orleans. Also excellent are La Berthe de Joux, Perroquet, and La Maison Fontaine from the Emile Pernot distillery in France, and Brevans AO Spare and Duplais Balance from the Matter distillery in Switzerland.

IMO:

Best place to order absinthe online in the US is DrinkUpNY at:

http://www.drinkupny.com/category_s/86.htm

Best place to order online internationally is Liqueurs de France at:

http://www.absintheonline.com/index.html

Hope this helps!

Post #564365 by Mr. Moto on Tue, Nov 9, 2010 7:32 PM