Marie-Claude Delahaye & George Rowley re-label the first bottle of real Absinthe in France since 1915

Marie-Claude Delahaye (Le Musée de l’Absinthe, Auvers~sur~Oise, France) and George Rowley (La Fée brand owner and absinthe pioneer) re- labelled the first bottle of real Absinthe distilled in France the very same week – in the La Maison du Whisky’s flagship spirit shop in St Germain, Paris. The bottle from this historic moment now resides at Marie-Claude’s museum.

We sent our expert to Bordeaux for Vinexpo last week – the leading global drinks show which is held every two years – it was great to see both Pernod and La Fée already available in the top restaurants and bars in Bordeaux town centre.

A delightful Maker's Mark & La Fée Parisienne Sazerac being made at Café Bellini

1. The Absinthiades

2. The Spirits Business Absinthe Masters

3. The LA International Wine & Spirits Competition

4. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition

5. The International Spirits Challenge

6. The International Wine & Spirit Competition

7. The Chicago Beverage Testing Institute

Medal Charts

The above information should finally clear up which absinthes have been rated by spirits industry experts as the true leaders of the category (please note the silver medal for La Fée Absinthe Parisienne in the Absinthe Masters column was awarded for design and packaging).

Competition Profiles

1. The Absinthiades

A competition based in Pontarlier, the spiritual home of absinthe. It has been held every year since 2001 and has been described by one absinthe blogger as the Oscars of the absinthe world. This is largely due to the high quality guests chosen each year to judge the awards. The competition includes an antiques dealers’ bourse, an exhibition and series of presentations given by various authors and historians. Awards are given in three categories; macerated absinthes (absinthes produced by cold soaking of herbs within alcohol rather than distilling herbs in alcohol), verte absinthes and blanche absinthes. Two juries taste-test the absinthes blind and award points based on predetermined criteria. The main prizes come in the form of gold, silver and bronze absinthe spoons.

2. The Spirits Business Absinthe Masters

The Absinthe Masters is a new awards event that was held in London in 2011 for the first time. It has been established by The Spirits Business, an industry publication, to assess whether any of the absinthes entered can truly be considered a master within its field. The absinthes are judged in four different categories; coloured spirit, coloured amer, non-coloured spirit, non-coloured amer. The distinction between the two is based on wormwood content with spirits limited to 10 parts per million (ppm) of thujone while amers can reach but not exceed 35ppm. For the 2011 Absinthe Masters the judges were industry experts Keith Lyon, Clayton Hartley and Nick Quatroville.

3. The LA International Wine & Spirits Competition

This prestigious competition that has run for over seven decades awarding the world’s best wines expanded to include spirits in 2007. Increasing numbers of sprits have been entered each year since and in 2010 it was opened to all spirits and mixers. Gold, silver and bronze medals are given to products that excel within their category and are awarded by a panel of judges that each year features a mix of distillers, journalists and pub & bar owners.

4. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The first comprehensive, international spirits competition ever held in the United States on an annual basis. The 2011 event featured a record number of entries: 1106 products from 61 countries. The competition is judged by a whole host of industry experts from highly respected hotels and restaurants, spirits consultants, mixologists and journalists and it is their calibre that makes these awards so sought after and well respected.

5. The International Spirits Challenge

This competition has been running for sixteen years and is described on its website as being “the most authoritative, respected and influential competition [for spirits] in the world”. The judging process is conducted by panels of over fifty experts from the spirits industry who take part in a seven day series of blind tastings. Each year they assess over 1,000 entries from around seventy countries to see if any of them possess the quality to be awarded medals ranging from the Trophy Award to a Bronze Medal according to aroma, appearance and taste. Awards are also given in a design and packaging category.

6. The International Wine & Spirit Competition

Founded in 1969, the International Wine & Spirit Competition includes a two-stage judging process of professional testing and chemical and microbiological analysis. The scientific analysis takes place in Surrey, UK in a temperature controlled environment. A prestigious group of vice-presidents support the competition, a group that includes Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Miguel Torres, Marchese Piero Antinori, Robert Drouhin, Robert Mondavi, May de Lencquesaing, Kenneth Graham and Sir Anthony Greener.

7. The Chicago Beverage Testing Institute

The Chicago Beverage Testing Institute was founded in 1981 to provide an impartial wine and spirit reviews for the use of consumers. The tasting takes place in a lab described on their website as being “specially designed to minimise external factors and maximise our panellists’ concentration.” The wines and spirits assessed are awarded marks out of one hundred and then awarded medals if they achieve a high enough score.

We hope this data which has been acquired from public sources will provide a valuable insight for readers reflecting how spirits industry experts have rated commercially available products – we trust you’ll find this information as interesting as we did.

The above data was compiled from public sources from the above listed competitions and is believed to be correct on date of posting 8th April 2011. If any members of the public or brand owners are aware of additional medals which have been awarded by these organisations (with appropriate third party citations) that they would like to see posted, please send appropriate data to: contact@lafee.com.

The absinthes were divided into four categories in recognition of the variation between the different styles. The four styles of absinthe being judged were as follows; Coloured Spirit, Coloured Amer, non-Coloured Spirit, non-Coloured Amer. The distinction between the two styles is critical, and is based on the content of grand wormwood in the distillation of the absinthe. Whilst spirit absinthes are now legal again across most of the world; amers are not – being legal in far fewer countries (USA & Canada being two notable nations where amers are still prohibited). A spirit is limited to 10 parts per million (ppm) of thujone while an amer can reach up to but not exceed 35ppm.

Judges deliberate over the fine selection on show

Wine and spirits guru, ex-spirits buyer for Waitrose and current Independent Spirits Consultant, Keith Lyon chaired the team of judges, which included Clayton Hartley, secretary of the New Sheridan Club and Nick Quatroville from the new “W” Hotel [London] – the A-list celebrity hotspot.

Judges Keith Lyon and Clayton Hartley

Keith Lyon set out the structure of the tasting as follows: Each absinthe would be tasted first neat in its pure form, and then tasted with equal measures of water added to the spirit so that the judges could get an even better grasp of the overall quality of the absinthes on display; while also being able to experience the magnificent louche each had to offer as the water is added.

In the Coloured Amer category La Fée Absinthe’s X•S Francaise was awarded the Master Award, the highest possible in any category. This award follows on from its previous success in the Absinthiades, a prestigious awards event held in Pontarlier, the spiritual home of French absinthe at which this high-quality traditional French absinthe won awards in successive years in 2008 and 2009.

In the Coloured Spirit category Studer Original Swiss Absinth was also awarded a Master Award, following up awards won previously at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). Other award winners in this category were Libertine and Enigma Verte which were both awarded with Gold Medals while Nemesinthe and Grande Absente 69% were both given Silver Medals.

In the non-Coloured Amer category La Fée Absinthe was once again victorious, with their X•S Suisse being awarded a Gold Medal. This signifies even greater recognition from industry experts that this ultra-premium Swiss absinthe is arguably the best out there, adding this medal to the three Golds won at the Absinthiades between 2007 and 2009 and a clutch of other awards achieved at the ISC and IWSC. The La Fée X•S range received even more medals once the awards were given out in the Design & Packaging category…

Nick Quatroville assesses the competition

In the non-Coloured Spirit category Blanche de Fougerolles won the Master Award, the Gold Award was given to Enigma Blanche while the Silver went to new-brand-on-the-block; La Maison Fontaine.

Finally, the winners in the Design and Packaging category were announced, and it’s safe to say that the strikingly distinctive La Fée logo clearly caught the eye of the judges. First off, the entire La Fée Absinthe folio, consisting of La Fée X•S Suisse, La Fée X•S Francaise, La Fée Absinthe Parisienne, La Fée Absinth Bohemian and NV Absinthe Verte won a Master Award. On top of this were individual awards for La Fée X•S Suisse and Francaise which respectively received a Master and Gold Award. La Fée Absinthe Parisienne was also recognised with a Silver Award which it adds to the astonishing three gold and four silver awards it has won previously. Along with these winners Studer Original Swiss Absinth and La Maison Fontaine both received Gold Awards.

After the event Keith Lyon said, “That was absolutely fascinating, it was hugely enjoyable and some of the absinthes were out of this world.”

ABSINTHE COCKTAIL
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Mint leaf
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
1 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
1 shot Chilled mineral water
¼ shot Sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
Variant: If grenadine (pomegranate syrup) is
substituted for the sugar syrup this becomes a
Tomate.
Origin: Dr. Ordinaire perfected his recipe for
absinthe in 1792 and from day one it required the
addition of water and sugar to make it palatable.
Comment: Absinthe tamed and served up.

ABSINTHE DROP
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: None
Method: Stir all ingredients and strain into ice-filled glass.
1 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
¼ shot Marie Brizard anisette liqueur
2 shots Chilled mineral water
Comment: A fix for aniseed addicts.
Origin: Vintage cocktail of unknown origin

ABSINTHE FRAPPÉ
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Mint sprig
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into glass filled with
crushed ice. Churn (stir) and serve with straws.
1½ shots La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ shot Marie Brizard anisette liqueur
1½ shots Chilled mineral water
¼ shot Sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
Origin: Created in 1874 by Cayetano Ferrer at
Aleix’s Coffee hOuse, New Orleans, which consequently
became known as The Absinthe Room.
Today the establishment is fittingly known as The
Old Absinthe House.
Comment: Aniseed and the fire of absinthe are
moderated by sugar and ice but still a dangerous
combination.

ABSINTHE SUISESSE
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Mint sprig
Method:Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into glass filled with crushed ice.
1 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ shot Almond (orgeat) syrup
1 fresh Egg white
½ shot Double (heavy) cream
½ shot Milk
Origin: New Orleans 1930s.
Variant: Also spelt ‘Suissesse’ and sometimes made
with absinthe, vermouth, sugar, crème de menthe and
egg white shaken and topped with sparkling water.
Comment: Absinthe smoothed with cream and
sweet almond.

BOHEMIAN MULE
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Lime wedge
Method: Pour all ingredients into ice-filled glass and lightly stir.
1 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ shot Freshly squeezed lime juice
Top up with Ginger beer
Comment: Ginger beer and the length of this drink
tame the absinthe within but its presence is evident.
Origin: Created in 1990s by Giovanni Burdi,
London, England.

DEMPSEY
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Maraschino cherry
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
1½ shots Tanqueray London dry gin
1½ shots Boulard Grand Solage calvados
1/8 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ shot Pomegranate (grenadine) syrup
Origin: A vintage cocktail of unknown origins.
Comment: Just on the right side of sweet but as
hard as nails.

GRAND SAZERAC
Glass: Old-fashioned
Method: Pour absinthe into ice-filled glass and top with water. Leave the
mixture to stand in the glass. Separately, shake liqueur, bourbon and bitters
with ice. Finally discard contents of absinthe-coated glass and fine strain
contents of shaker into absinthe washed glass. (Note that there is no ice in
the finished drink.)
½ shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
Top up with Chilled mineral water
1½ shots Grand Marnier liqueur
1½ shots Bulleit bourbon whiskey
2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
3 dashes Peychaud’s aromatic bitters
Origin: Created in 2004 by Yours Truly.
Comment: An orange twist on the classic Sazerac.

IN-SEINE
Glass: Martini
Garnish: 3 grapes on stick (or rubber ear if you have one to hand)
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
1 shot Courvoisier V.S.O.P. cognac
1 shot Bulleit bourbon whiskey
1 shot St-Germain elderflower liqueur
1/8 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ fresh Egg white
Origin: Created in 2006 by Simon Difford at The
Cabinet Room, London, England. The name
references the fact that St-Germain is a district of
Paris on the left bank of the River Seine and
absinthe was banned in Paris, partly because it was
believed to induce insanity.
Comment: Elderflower liqueur mellows and
boosts floral notes in the cognac with the merest
dash of absinthe dries and adds a robust hint of
aniseed.

JUDGEMENT DAY
Glass: Martini/Coupette
Garnish: Spray of Pimento Dram
Method: Shake with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
1 shot Macchu pisco
1/8 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
½ shot Freshly squeezed lime juice
½ shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ shot Sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
½ fresh Egg white
Origin: On 16th May 2008, superstar bartender
Charles Vexenat was unjustly jailed in New Orleans
during Tales of the Cocktail after Dre dropped a
glass bottle in the Old Absinthe House. Fortunately
for Charles he was saved a second day in the
slammer by Melanie Asher, owner of Macchu Pisco
who bailed him out. This cocktail, created at PDT,
New York City, is Charles’s tribute to Melanie.
Comment: Charles was pretty sour about his
experience when he created this very aromatic sour

L’AMOUR EN FUITE
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Pour absinthe into ice-filled glass, top with water and leave to
stand. Separately stir gin, vermouth and elderflower liqueur with ice.
DISCARD contents of glass (absinthe, water and ice) and strain contents of
mixing glass into absinthe-coated glass.
½ shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
1½ shots Tanqueray London dry gin
¾ shot Noilly Prat dry vermouth
¼ shot St-Germain elderflower liqueur
Origin: Created in 2007 by Jamie Boudreau,
Seattle, USA, originally using Lillet. The name
comes from a 1979 French film.
Comment: Serious yet approachably subtle with
hints of vermouth and elderflower dominated by
absinthe and gin.

MARTINI SPECIAL
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Fill glass with ice and pour absinthe and Angostura over ice. Top
with chilled mineral water and leave to stand. Shake gin, vermouth and
orange water with ice. Discard contents of standing glass and fine strain
shaken drink into washed glass.
¼ shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
4 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
Top up with Chilled mineral water
2 shots Tanqueray London dry gin
¾ shot Martini Rosso sweet vermouth
1/8 shot Orange flower water
Origin: Adapted from a recipe in Harry Craddock’s
1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.
Comment: Aromatic, very dry and very serious -
yet it has a frothy head.

OBITUARY
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Olive on stick
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
2 shots Tanqueray London dry gin
1/8 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
¼ shot Noilly Prat dry vermouth
Comment: What a way to go. A Dry Martini with a
dash of the green fairy.

ORIGINAL SIN
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Star anise
Method: Pour absinthe into ice-filled glass and top with water. Leave the
mixture to stand in the glass. Separately, stir all ingredients with ice. Finally
discard contents of absinthe-coated glass and fine strain contents of shaker
into absinthe washed glass.
½ shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
2 shots Ketel One vodka
¾ shot Sake
1/8 shot Honey syrup (4 honey to 1 water)
Comment: Sake and vodka with a delicate hint of
honey.
Origin: Created in 2009 by Spike Marchant and
Simon Difford at the Cabinet Room, London,
England.

REMEMBER THE MAINE
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Pour absinthe into ice-filled glass, top up with water and set to
one side. Separately, pour other ingredients into an ice-filled mixing glass
and stir well. Discard absinthe, water and ice from serving glass. Finally
strain contents of mixing glass into the absinthe rinsed glass.
1 shot La Fée Parisienne (68%) absinthe
Top up with Chilled mineral water
2 shots Bulleit bourbon whiskey
¾ shot Herring cherry brandy liqueur
¾ shot Martini Rosso sweet vermouth
Origin: Adapted from a recipe by Charles H. Baker Junior. In his 1939
‘The Gentleman’s Companion’ he writes of this drink, “a Hazy Memory of
a Night in Havana during the Unpleasantnesses of 1933, when Each
Swallow Was Punctuated with Bombs Going off on the Prado, or the
Sound of 3″ Shells Being Fired at the Hotel Nacional, then Haven for
Certain Anti-Revolutionary Officers”. The drink is named after the press
slogan, which allegedly provoked the 1898 Spanish-American War.
Comment: Charles H. Baker says of this twist on a Sazerac, “Treat this one
with the respect it deserves, gentleman.

Star Anise is the name given to the seed pod of the small evergreen tree Illicium Verum which is indigenous to southwest China and the spice that it produces. The seed pod is shaped like a star and as its Chinese bajiao name would suggest it has eight points (bajiao literally means eight corners). As star anise is a spice it is of course unrelated to anise (Pimpinella anisum), however its flavour is very similar. This is because they both contain the chemical compound anethol which results in the liquorice-like flavour associated with them.
Recently star anise has increased its popularity in the West as it is such an effective substitute for the more expensive anise while being used as flavouring in baking. Star anise is also used in the production of many types of liquor in Europe, most notably by herbal or anise based liquors such as Galliano, sambuca, pastis and many types of absinthes.

The seed pods are harvested just before ripening and are dried in the sun immediately afterwards. Because of the presence of anise and fennel with both also give of a liquorice-like flavour, only small quantities of star anise are used when making absinthe. If used to too great an extent it will also produce a strange taste in the mouth sometimes known as ‘numb tongue’.

In addition to its use in European liquors, star anise is also a common ingredient in Asian cuisine. The spice is commonly found in Sichuanese hot pot and helps add to its famously intense flavour. In India it is an important ingredient in garam masala.

Star anise has also been used medicinally throughout its history. It was a common ingredient used within traditional Chinese medicine particularly as a tea to help cure rheumatism. In modern medicine, star anise has also

Angelica (Angelica archangelica) is a plant that belongs to the Apiaceae family. It is a tall growing biennial herb that is native to temperate and sub-arctic parts of the Northern Hemisphere which can reach up to 2 metres in height. The angelica plant features numerous small serrated leaves and greenish yellow flowers which grow in dense globular umbels, blossoming in July before leaving yellow oblong fruits. Angelica is used frequently in many herbal medicines for treatment of fevers, colds, coughs and many different stomach disorders. Angelica root contains vitamin B12, Zinc, Thiamin, Sucrose, Riboflavin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Fructose, Glucose, and many other trace minerals.

The name angelica comes from a legend in which a monk dreams of an angel while sleeping. The purpose of the angel’s visit was to teach the monk of the medical properties of the herb which from then on became known as angelica. It has also been called ‘Root of the Holy Ghost’ as it was considered to be such a powerful medicinal agent in earlier times, even to the extent that it was considered to constitute a genuine defence against the plague by the alchemist and physician Paracelsus during the Milanese plague epidemic of 1510.

Eventually Angelica’s use in cuisine also became well known as candied angelica was produced and marketed in Denmark. By the early 17th Century it had spread to England and was considered to be a popular treat there. However, even in its use as a form of confectionary the medical uses of the herb were still apparent: candied angelica was rumoured to have also been used for expelling wind and strengthening the stomach.
Angelica favours damp soil which is close to water, and naturally grows in Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands and in this it is strange as it is one of the only aromatic herbs that grows in such northerly climates. It has been reported that in Iceland, Angelica was relied upon when all other sources of food had run out. In Lapland it was given to poets in the hope that its aroma would prove inspirational to them. The French have used it as the primary flavouring in the liquor Chartreuse. It is also one of the mix of herbs which is used to flavour absinthe. Normally the production of absinthe uses both the root and seeds of the plant which are described as being pleasantly aromatic with a taste very similar to juniper.

Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish playwright, poet and author, notable for such works as Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was a celebrity of the Victorian era and rose to fame not only for the books, plays and poems that he wrote, but also for the extravagant, bohemian lifestyle that he chose to lead at odds with the cultural orthodoxy at the time. He was well equipped to reach such a position as he had immense natural wit and was known to be a great conversationalist and raconteur.

His sense of humour was also famous and has remained so right up to the present with his love of absinthe being represented amongst them. Wilde famously described the various stages of absinthe thus: “After the first glass you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.” It is no wonder that he enjoyed the taste of the Green Fairy, no self-respecting bohemian active during his heyday could have done otherwise. Wilde moved to France between February and May in 1983 and while there he wrote a play called Salome in French, it was surely while staying here that he developed a taste for the drink.

Wilde became acquainted with fellow English poet Ernest Dowson who was also a fan of absinthe. Once after hearing someone criticise Dowson for his drinking Wilde replied, “If he didn’t drink, he would be somebody else. Personality must be accepted for what it is. You mustn’t mind that a poet is a drunk, rather that drunks are not always poets.”

Like many of his contemporaries of the era, Oscar Wilde chose to lead a life of aestheticism and debauchery, both of which helped to influence the works he produced. Wilde went to America to tour and give lectures on the subject of asceticism which were very successful as the crowds he drew were attracted to his charm and wit. While appreciating life’s natural beauty one day he compared it to his favourite drink claiming: “A glass of absinthe is as poetical as anything in the world, what difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset.” After his achievements in America he eventually moved back to London where he met and later married Constance Lloyd with whom he had two children. Constance was an heiress and was given a comfortable allowance by her father, however this was seldom enough for the extravagant lifestyle which the two lived.

Although their family life was happy, as is now commonly known, Wilde was a homosexual.
Fortunately for Wilde, his natural inclination to belong to the more unorthodox areas of Victorian society meant that dealing with his sexuality was not too difficult for him. However, it was still at odds with what was considered decent and natural by most people at the time and his love affair with the young aristocrat Lord Alfred Douglas was to lead to one of the darker periods of his life. Although by now Wilde’s propensity to act extravagantly was already well known, Douglas, who had a reputation to be an extremely spoilt individual, acted-up in public to the point of recklessness. By this point, Wilde was now extremely successful financially, earning around £100 a week just for his play-writing and was therefore easily suited to playing the sugar daddy to the spoilt rich kid. Such an affair was certain to end badly, particularly considering that the father of his young lover was none other than the Marquess of Queensbury, the inventor of the modern rules of boxing. One day the Marquess confronted Wilde at his home for the purpose of a fight, later claiming that his opponent had acted in a cowardly manner.

This violent confrontation was not enough to satisfy the Marquess who later sent Wilde a letter accusing him of being a sodomite, a felony at the time. Wilde proceeded to take the Marquess to court on a charge of criminal libel. However, in his defence the Marquess hired a team of detectives who uncovered all the lurid details of his son’s affair. After losing his case, Wilde was bankrupted through having to cover the Marquess’s legal costs and was immediately after prosecuted by the crown on a charge of sodomy and found guilty receiving a sentence of two years hard labour.

After being freed, Wilde went to live in Paris where he could restart his previous love affair with absinthe while forgetting the pain of his time in London to where he was never to return. Although his peacock spirit was dulled by imprisonment and the rejection of a society that had previously been thrilled by his dazzling talent and personality his spirit wasn’t entirely crushed as he kept his sense of humour to the end: in his last few days Wilde exclaimed “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death, One of us has to go!”

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was not only one of the greatest painters of the Post-Impressionist period; he was also one of the most famous absintheurs of the golden age of absinthe. Lautrec was born with a number of complications affecting his health which meant in his legs stopped growing when he was very young. This is the cause of his famous stunted image; as an adult he stood at 1.54 metres (5ft 1in). Therefore, although Lautrec was born of aristocratic stock his abnormal appearance drew him towards the margins of French society where he was to find the perfect subject matter for his later masterpieces.

Lautrec moved to the Montmartre district of Paris to further his painting career but was also naturally drawn to this part of the city for its already growing reputation as a centre for bohemian culture; the area was home to a large concentration of artists, writers, philosophers and prostitutes. He had already moved to Nice for the sake of his art, however his work only started to take off once he was in Montmartre. Lautrec was a frequent patron of the district’s brothels and burlesque houses as well as a huge fan of absinthe which was extremely popular in Montmartre at the time.

The combination of these two influences can be clearly seen in his paintings; the vibrant colouring and highly contoured nature of his composition helps to give a disorienting effect which is very likely to be a perfect reflection of how Lautrec would have experienced his time in places such as the Moulin Rouge. Apparently his short and unusual frame was the object of much mockery and this further influenced the amount he used to drink. Lautrec’s love of absinthe naturally led to him developing a habit for drinking cocktails a further stray from the straight path in a country populated by wine purists. It is said that he was the inventor of the Tremblement de Terre (“The Earthquake”), an extremely strong cocktail which consists of three parts cognac and three parts absinthe. Lautrec loved to drink so much that he made the activity the focus of his daily schedule. He is reported to have started drinking in any bistro nearby to his studio as soon as waking up. He even had two café tables put up in his studio where he devised new cocktail combinations such as “The Earthquake”. Rumour even has it that Lautrec had a hollowed out cane made for him to fill with absinthe, so that no matter where he was, there would always be a drink at hand.

As an artist who drew inspiration from his love of absinthe, Lautrec found the perfect painting and drinking companion in the equally famous Dutch post-Impressionist Vincent van-Gogh, a man who had also developed a taste for the Green Fairy.

The personalities of these places were also used as subject matter. Lautrec helped elevate the form of advertisement poster as a form of art during this period often depicting the performer Jane Avril amongst others. Born Jeanne Richpin in 1868, this famous can-can dancer was certified insane as a teenager after running away from home and living on the streets of Paris. After leaving the asylum in which she had been detained she was drawn to the artistic crowd which was resident in the city, eventually winding up as dancer in the Moulin Rouge cabaret club. She obviously left an impression on Toulouse-Lautrec as his numerous depictions of her have helped keep her name famous.

Unfortunately, Lautrec’s lifestyle, while being the inspiration for his many great works of art, also led to his premature death. He was placed in a sanatorium as a result of his incessant drinking and whoring as he had inevitably contracted syphilis and severe health complications. He died soon after, but nevertheless, although his life was most certainly cut short, he could never have been accused of not living it to its fullest. He was a perfect exemplar of the culture of the Belle Époque and will always remain its most famous exponent.

Spending entire days carrying out research in libraries, Marie-Claude became an absinthe historian with the publication of her first book in 1983: ‘Absinthe – History of the Green Fairy’. The original edition of this book is now out of print and has become a collector’s item throughout the world.

Further publications have followed which have gradually unveiled the significance of absinthe in 19th Century society, and more importantly its influence on art. At the same time, Marie-Claude searched antique shops and markets to establish an impressive collection of Absinthe memorabilia, etchings, drawings and paintings.

After organising numerous exhibitions, Marie-Claude eventually established the Musée de l’Absinthe in 1994. The museum is situated in Auvers-sur-Oise, the village famous for its painters – where Vincent van Gogh and his brother, Theo, are buried. Absinthe was the muse of painters and poets during the 19th Century and its true spirit is rekindled at the Absinthe Museum.

Thujone is the active component found within wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and is therefore present in absinthe as well. The reported psychedelic effects that surrounded absinthe in earlier times were originally thought to be the product of this chemical. However more recently research has shown that the levels of thujone present in traditional absinthes were much smaller than was previously thought.

The level of thujone that is legally allowed to be present in food and drink is regulated in most countries. For the absinthe renaissance to have ever been feasible, the setting of these regulations was a crucial event. This important breakthrough was achieved by George Rowley (brand owner of La Fée, owner of BBH). On 21st July 1998 a document that he had drafted, written and signed used data from a test on some absinthe samples he had had conducted by VSCHT of Prague University to show without a doubt that the samples fell within the legal limits established in 1988 in EEC Council Directive No. 88/388/ECC.

This work was crucial as it was the first time this directive had been applied to absinthe and it became the benchmark for all other absinthe producers to follow. The maximum amount of thujone allowed in the directive for spirits which contain over 25% ABV is 10 parts per million (with bitters or amers containing up to, but not more than 35 parts per million). This was then used as a benchmark by a large number of governments globally when setting their own thujone limits.

The effect of absinthe on drinkers is commonly reported as creating a clear headed mood, one reason why it was so popular with so many artists and writers. This is most likely to be a result of the combination of different herbs used in making absinthe, many of which have been used as herbal remedies for centuries. As the myth of thujone and its psychedelic properties has been effectively debunked, the most obvious explanation for any crazed effects arising from the drink must surely be the fact that absinthe is high in alcohol and if drunk irresponsibly can lead to extremely high levels of inebriation.