Hapsburg La Magnifique Absinthe

Product Description

Absinthe is one of history’s most notorious liqueurs – romanticised and maligned in equal measure. Sipped by artists and writers, namely Oscar Wilde, Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh, for creative inspiration. In 1915 the French Government, and subsequently other countries, banned Absinthe due to the main ingredient – Wormwood – believed to cause hallucinations. Absinthe gained immense popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as bohemian artists and writers such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Hemmingway and Oscar Wilde found it had an inspiring effect on their creativity and it became commonly known as “The Green Fairy”. The cause of this effect was the high quantities of Thujone found in one of the ingredients: Wormwood. Public pressure to reduce Absinthe’s high consumption in the early 1900’s, forced both France and Switzerland to cease production after almost 100 years. Absinthe’s modern revival began in earnest in the 1990’s and it is now a drink enjoyed the world over. Today the liqueur is made with herbal extracts – the main one being “Aniseed” and the strength is no different to cask strength spirits and Over-proof rums. It is a bitter liqueur and is best consumed after diluting with water and sugar.

This is a vintage blend from the 2010 harvest and is a combination of distilled Bleue Absinthe from Val-de-Travers in Switzerland, where Absinthe was made by clandestine distillers during the prohibition years of the 20th century, and a unique selection of brands from the finest absinthe producing regions in Europe. This ensures the uniqueness and complexity of the blend.