Small Batch Absinthe – The Green Fairy
The Green Fairy
A very nice Small Batch Absinthe that can be enjoyed on it’s own or a little bit of water added (absorbs more easily that way). I really like the flavor here with notes of citrus and mint standing out, but then there is always that unmistakable wormwood aroma that seems to surprise some people. That is a real signature of quality absinthe, and I’m glad to see that Leopold Bros is still doing it right (though it’s not quite as strong as some of the old-timers).
Small Batch Absinthe
This is also one of the rare absinthes to use badiane in addition to star anise, and the badiane helps bring out the herbal character of the drink and creates more of the “licorice” aroma that is reminiscent of fennel than the more bitter aniseed found in some other absinthes. This was another of the things that George Hill was pushing hard for in his quest to get absinthe legalized in the US. This along with his friend Radomil introducing him to the Cafe Brulot sugar burn serve and the young trend setters of Prague adopting that ritual were all key steps in the eventual legalization of authentic French absinthe in the US.
The traditional French absinthe serving is to lay a sugar cube on a slotted spoon balancing on top of a glass of absinthe and then to slowly trickle very cold water over the sugar cube. The absinthe should then turn cloudy (or louche) when enough water is absorbed, and this ritual was a big part of what brought the Green Fairy back into vogue in the early 20th century.