Since the legalization of absinthe last year we’ve had some very good brands become available in the US. Sadly, this isn’t one of them. It has the aroma of dirty socks, the color of Scope mouthwash, no louche, and very little taste. I bought a bottle of this and it sits on my shelf unused except for the 1 drink I tried and a few drinks I’ve let others try. Does it have an absinthe buzz? I don’t know as I won’t drink the stuff. None of my friends wanted more than 1 drink either. The only good thing about this is the packaging and bottle. The bottle is really neat, but not neat enough to justify buying it. Unfortunately the makers of Le Tourment Vert spent all their efforts on the bottle and none on the contents.

Obsello absinthe has arrived in the US and I must say I’m pleasantly surprised. I sampled some at a local bar and I was very sceptical at first. Most Spanish absinthes have way too much anise in them for me. Also it has only 8 herbs in it, which I thought would give it a somewhat simple flavor. The one saving grace, I thought, is that it’s made from wine alcohol. Much to my surprise Obsello is actually very good. Not too much anise and a very nice flavor. It’s not as complex as Epoque or Maison, but good

There’s a Mexican honey-anise liquor called Xtabentun (pronounced shta-ben-toon) that is excellent with absinthe, especially the LaBleues. You mix 1 shot of absinthe to 1/2 shot of Xtabentun to 8 ounces of ice water, no sugar. The Xtabentun really brings out the floral taste of the LaBleues. It also has some psychoactive properties that are enhanced by the thujone in absinthe. It’s actually kind of rare and you can get it in Mexico or by doing a search on the internet. It may be hard to find, but it’ll be worth the effort once you try it.

Absinthe Cocktail

Hi, besides drinking Absinthe the classic way with water, I´m wondering what other ways exist to enjoy it. Any experiences?

Almost all of the absinthe fountains, both new and antique, that I’ve seen are topped with an acorn. Nobody that I’ve talked to knows why. Does anybody out there have the answer?

US Absintheurs,
the Blog is now online. Feel free to post and comment your experiences and
opinions about the Green Fairy!