The Fourth Age of the Fée Verte

Absinthe

No spirit has such an eventful history as absinthe. The history of the green fairy shows like no other how close rise and fall, reality and myth, law and rebellion can sometimes be.

It was undoubtedly Switzerland's greatest gift to international cocktail culture: absinthe. First appearing in the Val-de-Travers in Neuchâtel in the 18th century, the green fairy crossed the border to France in its youth and sailed once around the world and back in the 19th century.

The thirsty throats of French colonial masters and soldiers caused demand to soar, and at the same time the darkest age of European wine culture began with the appearance of phylloxera. Alcoholic beverages that were not made from grapes experienced an upswing, and so the French - and increasingly also French women - toasted each other with their mystically cloudy drink at the blue hour.

Absinthe stood for the bohemian lifestyle and offered the newcomers in the growing cities the opportunity to leave their dull everyday lives behind. At least for a few hours. The Fée Verte inspired artists and served as a subject for many a painter.

With fashion-conscious France, and Paris in particular, as the trendsetter par excellence, it is hardly surprising that absinthe had made the leap across the oceans. Jerry Thomas' "Bon-Vivant's Companion", the oldest cocktail and bar book in history, contains a recipe for the correct preparation.

Absinthe then became immortal to cocktail culture in the 1880s, when the spirit, together with curaçao and maraschino, became particularly popular ingredients for turning a cocktail into an Improved Cocktail.

Although absinthe was only the base spirit in a few exceptions, as late as 1900 Harry Johnson added the following line to the cocktail recipes for Martini Cocktail, Manhattan Cocktail, Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail and Gin Cocktail in his Bartender's Manual: "1 dash of curaçao or absinthe, if required".

With fashion-conscious France, and Paris in particular, as the trendsetter par excellence, it is hardly surprising that absinthe had made the leap across the oceans.

However, the fact that absinthe was banned in almost every country in the world for almost a century cannot be attributed to the few dashes of absinthe in cocktails like the Sazerac. Absinthe was drunk in copious quantities, especially in French-speaking Europe.

This also called the increasingly influential temperance movement onto the scene, which found the perfect scapegoat in absinthe. It was not only accused of seducing women, the youth and the working class, but even of poisoning them. The nerve poison thujone contained in the wormwood plant (Artemisia absinthium) was discovered about 120 years ago and was the "proof" that absinthe made people crazy.

Even though the thujone concentration in absinthe does not pose a health risk - one is more likely to die from alcohol poisoning than from an overdose of thujone - the advocates of a ban were able to convince the majority of the Swiss electorate of their cause.

The consequence: the absinthe producers had to give up - or they went underground like the distillers in Val-de-Travers. Absinthe became an illegal product, but its basic ingredients could easily be bought legally in every other pharmacy.

Where does Absinthe stand 17 years after its legalisation?

Since 1 March 2005, absinthe may once again be produced in Switzerland without having to fear a fine from the authorities. After the mystical early days, the rapid rise and the uncertain prohibition years, the fourth era of the Fée Verte has begun with legalisation.

But the world is no longer the same as it was 120 years ago. Aniseed-flavoured spirits no longer have the status they once had and the high alcohol content is not the number one selling point for all consumers.

In addition, not all absinthe producers in the Val-de-Travers have their "wormwood herb on the same stage". The interests of the Association Interprofessionnelle de l'Absinthe are opposed by those of the Artisans Distillateurs d'Absinthe (AAA), which is why it has still not been possible to agree on a specification for an Indication Géographique Protégé (IGP) for Absinthe du Val-de-Travers.

In addition, there are producers from other regions of Switzerland who also made absinthe during the Belle Epoque and who have taken their recipes out of the drawer again since legalisation at the latest.

Maison de l'Absinthe in Môtiers
maison-absinthe.ch

It was precisely the latter who felt upbraided when the Interprofession wanted to enforce an Appelation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) for absinthe in the first few years after legalisation. After that, only absinthe from the Val-de-Travers could have been sold as absinthe.

In Pontarlier, France, there is already an IGP. Absinthe de Pontarlier has been protected since 2019, although currently only one distillery in the region sells its products under this label. In Switzerland, on the other hand, a large number of distilleries - from professional distillers to small producers who put perhaps 50 litres on the market each year - have to agree on a common set of specifications.

Considering the time the stakeholders have invested so far in the protection of absinthe from the Val-de-Travers, the result must be considered sobering. Fortunately, cooperation seems to work better in other projects.

The Maison de l'Absinthe in Môtier, for example, has been inspiring interested people from Switzerland and abroad about the fascinating past of this legendary spirit since 2014. Another successful project is the online shop absinthemarket.com. Since last year, you can find absinthes from numerous small producers here.

A big win, because quite a few craft distillers who pursue another activity besides producing absinthe have neglected the potential of digital marketing and web presence. As a result, the full diversity of the local absinthe culture was hardly ever visible outside the Val-de-Travers.

AbsintheMarket
absinthemarket.com

In the valley itself, however, interested people from out of town are welcome guests. In every larger community there are at least a handful of producers who are more than happy to talk from the herb box. Such a high density of passionate distillers is unique in our region: distillers who have been dedicated to craft distilled specialities since before the word "craft" was watered down by marketing departments.

The hospitality is not least evident away from the villages in the surrounding forests. Those in the know will find a hiding place behind some wells. You can pour yourself a portion of absinthe and dilute it with the ice-cold well water. A tradition that was established during the years of Prohibition.

New impulses for a historic distillate

As already briefly mentioned, various producers outside the Val-de-Travers can also look back on a long history of absinthe production.

In addition, various distilleries have been founded in recent years that attach great importance to the green fairy. In the canton of Neuchâtel, for example, Larusée in Val de Ruz (since 2012) and La Malicieuse in La Chaux-de-Fonds (2021), and in Bern the Matte Distillery (2016).

Matter Spirits has chosen a particularly innovative approach to bring absinthes to the people. With artwork by H.R. Giger or collaborations with Marilyn Manson, the Kallnach distillery has created a fan base at home and especially abroad.

And if the history of this spirit teaches us anything, it is how strongly not only the producers, but also the consumers and the Barkeeper have contributed to the myth of absinthe. Before the turn of the millennium, absinthe was mainly associated with a green, high-proof liqueur that was "enjoyed" as a flaming shot in London or Prague.

After legalisation, efforts were made in Switzerland to create a different, more purist narrative.

After legalisation, efforts were made in Switzerland to create a different, more purist narrative. Not necessarily with sugar, but never flamed or on ice. Is this perhaps one of the reasons why you still see so few absinthe cocktails on bar menus?

As a drink based on herbs with a rich local history and the craft spirit of recent years, absinthe should have no problem riding the gin, vermouth and amaro wave of recent years.

And the fact that the green fairy is denied the leading role in many productions such as Highballs, Spritz' or Sours cannot be reduced to the aniseed flavour alone. Despite her comeback, this fallen star is still far from reaching her full potential.

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