The green lady, the green muse, the green goddess; absinthe has been known by many names, and they all possess at least a hint of intimidation to the cocktail neophyte. Add the intricate nature of its specialized stemware, the mystique of its famous louche and the mind-altering mythos surrounding one of its key ingredients, and it comes as no surprise that absinthe is seen by many as a distilled delicacy which only a true aficionado could enjoy. At this year's Tales of the Cocktail, however, an expert panel led by Stephen Gould aimed to shed some light into the cloudy allure of absinthe and offer even the casual carouser a firmer grasp on the fabled 'Green Fairy'.
High
above the slate sidewalks and wrought iron balconies of New Orleans' famous
French Quarter, the Riverview Room of the Hotel Monteleone played host to the
most interactive seminar of the entire five-day Tales festival. Part history
lesson, part crash course in mixology, the cocktail lab started off as an
intimate affair with small groups of attendees seated closely together around
impressive arrays of artisanal spirits, liqueurs and mixers provided to each
table. As the afternoon unfolded, however, the crowd livened up and spread out,
mixing and shaking an assortment of classic concoctions right along with world
class bartenders, then serving up the newly learned recipes to their fellow
absinthe apprentices.
While a
custom, six-drink menu was created for the seminar, including such legendary
cocktails as the Sazerac and two variations on the Corpse Reviver, the
panelists took special care to explain the nuances and appeal of enjoying the
green lady on its own. Using an iconic reservoir-style absinthe glass, barmen
Noah Heaney and Joshua-Peter Smith offered some insight into the presentation
and procedure of pouring a proper portion of the spirit. It was explained that
the small chamber at the base of the vessel is designed to maintain a
consistent alcohol serving size from the bartender, while the slow addition of
cold water is often left to the bar patron. This practice allows the drinker to
bring forth their preferred level of louche, a milky result of releasing
the essential botanical oils suspended within the high-proof alcohol. The
aesthetics of watching the liquid's immediate transformation is an impressive
spectacle in its own right, but it also serves as the tell-tale signature for
identifying a true absinthe distillation.
With T. A.Breaux at the podium, a world-renowned producer and promoter of the emerald
spirit, the lore of wormwood was dispelled and the reality behind absinthe's
notorious hallucinogenic association was revealed. Though it enjoyed immense
popularity during the 19th century both in France and abroad,
absinthe became a victim of its own success, according to Mr. Breaux. While
imitation is often said to be the highest form of flattery, knockoff products,
such as “Bohemian” absinthe, went a long way in tarnishing the reputation of
the genuine article and creating a stigma of mind-altering side effects which
persists to this day. Counterfeit absinthe contains little to none of the
essential oils which are found in the original formula, and were often
comprised mainly of poor-quality alcohols, wormwood for flavor, and a green
coloring agent. The resulting combination was in the same vein as the dicey
bathtub gins produced during Prohibition and contributed greatly to the
incidents of “madness” in those consuming it.
Presently,
absinthe's global reputation is on the rebound, thanks in large part to the
debunking efforts of Mr. Breaux and his colleagues, though the market is by no
means free of bogus products. Those looking to pawn off imitation wares have
devised their own elaborate ritual to add a false sense of tradition to the
ersatz creations while masking its inadequacies. This so-called “absinthe” is
poured into its glass over a sugar cube, which is then set ablaze and
submerged, with water added to quench the resulting flame and give the illusion
of a louche. This gimmick conceals the lack of botanical oils and inability of
the inferior concoction to cloud properly, do not be fooled!
With a bit
of knowledge, true absinthe is easily identifiable and even easier to acquire
these days, with Mr. Breaux and Mr. Gould producing some of the highest quality
libations available through Jade Liqueurs and Golden Moon Distillery,
respectively. Those seeking their own encounter with the 'Green Fairy' would be
wise to begin their pursuit with such superior craft spirits.
Contributor Ian Gregory is a child of the 80's and a Tulane graduate, with a BA in History. Born and raised in Manhattan, NYC, he has called New Orleans his home for the last 10 years.
An experienced bartender, Ian has appeared in the Where Y'at Best Bartenders of New Orleans Guide on 3 separate occasions. Now testing the waters of freelance writing as a contributor forMicroShiner, he doesn't have a twitter handle, but feel free to find him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ian.
