Today, Tuesday 5 March, is National Absinthe Day, dedicated to the celebration of the distillate with the most controversial history. Also called Green Fairy, absinthe is a product still little known in Italy, both in purity and in mixing, and for this reason still mistreated today.
To shed light on the topic, we decided to talk about it with two experts: Gianluca Camazzola, co-owner and bar manager of Palace of Mixtures in Bassano del Grappa (VI), where the headquarters of theAcadémie d'Absomphe – Italian Association for the Protection of Absinthe of which he is vice-president, e Niccolo Caramiello, co-owner and bar manager of Norah Was Drunk in Milan.
Distilled with medicinal herbs, including Artemisia absinthium, green anise, fennel, lemon balm, coriander and hyssop, absinthe is a product closely linked to the Alpine areas, where theWormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a silvery green plant, very bitter and also present in vermouth (not surprisingly, wermut in German means absinthe).
The birth of absinthe, distilled, dates back well before 1792, year according to which Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, in French-speaking Switzerland, began distributing a therapeutic product, capable of curing every ailment. From 1850 onwards, absinthe became popular and was ordered in all establishments, especially at aperitif time, which became "the green hour”, so much so that in 1910 an annual consumption in France was 36 million litres.
Then, the announcement. At the beginning of the twentieth century, in a post-industrial revolution period in which the social hardship of workers and artists was growing exponentially, in almost all countries of the world the consumption of absinthe was banned: in Switzerland and France, two of the main consumption countries, in 1910 and 1915 respectively, while in Italy only in 1939. Firstly, because it was the most drunk alcoholic product, and consequently the social stigma of alcoholism, but also because it was stealing the economic spotlight from wine and cognac, whose producers could not bear a supporting role. From that moment, everything was written and said about the green fairy, which had negative properties, so much so that it was labeled as a drug. The reason was argued by throwing smoke on thujone, a substance similar to THC, the active ingredient of marijuana, whose intake with absinthe, in reality, would not imply any type of problem except in crazy doses (about 25 L per day) . All this, without considering that this substance is also present in vermouth, chartreuse and more, all products that have never suffered this type of attack.
Second Gianluca Camazzola, to recognize a quality absinthe, “you need to check the technical data sheet and the information provided to us by the manufacturer. If the absinthe has, as its three main botanicals, artemisia absinthium, fennel seed and green anise seed, then it is most likely authentic. I would add that it must be produced by distillation, therefore the production method must also be considered and whether it is faithful to the standards practiced in the pre-ban period. Nothing prevents you from also using herbs such as artemisia pontica, hyssop, mint, lemon balm, etc... The most important test, however, remains the tasting. The authenticity of the absinthe is also verified in this passage. Unlike other spirits, absinthe must be diluted with water before drinking. When you add water, rigorously ice-cold, to the glass, the so-called louche is created, a cloudiness that must not be too fast or too slow. Furthermore, in an authentic absinthe, the top layer of the liquid should not change color with dilution at least until the louche is complete.”
The taste of absinthe, which has always divided, is an advantage for Niccolo Caramiello. “If you try it and like it, then you are sure to order it again. The herbaceous, aniseed and very fresh scents are unique - in Italy only sambuca has the flavor of anise - and never the same from one product to another. In total, we have 25 references in the bottle, of all types: green, French school, white and also Italian artisanal. A problem we often come across is our customers' memories of absinthe. In the 90s-early 2000s, very strong shots were drunk, which are in total contrast with the slow tasting of this product. Usually, then, it was colored, flavored and high-alcohol vodka, which does nothing but cloud the perception of a great product."
Gianluca believes that absinthe can have a bigger audience than it currently has. “Usually, green and not star anise is used in the distillate. Precisely for this reason, not all absinthes have this strong aniseed note; in others, the floral, citrus or balsamic part prevails. This makes absinthe more universal than it might seem on the surface.”
According to him, in recent times we have been witnessing a slow rebirth of absinthe. “In the last two years, new producers have emerged on the market: from Tripstillery to Stefano Rossoni, which has resumed distributing two historic products, plus a new bottling, as well as Denever in Veneto and Free Spirits, which is planning the release of a new reference. What matters is that the competence of those who approach absinthe today is increasingly higher. Many producers turn to consultants, others at the Académie d'Absomphe – Italian association for the protection of absinthe”.
According to Niccolò, absinthe is not given proper consideration by locals. “All bars have a good selection of rum, gin, etc…, but not absinthe. Often, the tools to best serve it are also missing, i.e. the fountain, the half cube of sugar and the perforated spoon. The customer doesn't know it, has no idea what it is and, sometimes, is even afraid. Because its story was linked to that of the cursed poets, who however combined it with opium. In reality, if we consider the dilution, we are talking about a distillate that is less alcoholic than the Negroni".
Different points of view, however, regarding mixing.
Gianluca does not offer absinthe in his cocktails, but only in mainly historical recipes. “In our place, which is also seat of the Académie d'Absomphe – Italian Association, we aim to help people rediscover historic drinks, such as the cocktail à la Louisianane, the Remember the Maine and the Tea Punch. If we read the mixing texts of the late 19th-early 20th century, absinthe was mainly used as a flavouring, rather than as an ingredient. An exception to that trend, but not the only one, can be found in Marinetti and Fillia's text “La cucina futurista” published in 1931. Here, among others, two multi-drinks are included (this is how members of the movement had “translated ” the word cocktail) containing absinthe or an absinthe liqueur as an ingredient, i.e. Scintilla and Snebbiante. Then, over time, drinks were also created with absinthe among the main ingredients, such as the Green Beast by Charles Vexenat, created in the 2000s in a Pernod Ricard competition. Unlike classic absinthe drinks served in a cup, this is a long drink, with sugar syrup, lime juice, cold water and cucumber slices.”.
“Another classic with absinthe, mentioned by Niccolò, is that ofAbsinthe Frappe, born in 19th century in New Orleans. The recipe includes absinthe, sugar syrup, water, mint leaf, a flavoring (Benediticin, as per Norah, or Anisette), soda and crushed ice”.
“We have decided to focus heavily on absinthe” continues Nicholas. “The 30% of our drinks has absinthe as its base, which we use to replace white spirits, such as gin, vodka or tequila, but also as a flavouring. Often, we happen to use it in a twist on classic, like our bestseller Absinthe mule, with absinthe, lime, almond syrup and ginger beer, or like our French 75, with absinthe instead of gin. When mixed, absinthe pairs well with fresh and acidic flavours, in sour and gimlet-type cocktails, in combination with tequila, mezcal and rum, especially agricultural ones, and less well with bitters. Often, when I mix absinthe, I use sugar and lime, because they act as binders and enhancers of the flavors of the distillate. Over time, we have realized that cocktails serve to bring people closer to absinthe and, sometimes, to precede the pure tasting, which is always preferred by purists".
