Absinthe Afternoon

[Caymus]

I picked up a preference for the Sazerac cocktail on several visits to New Orleans. I'm looking for a less expensive brand of Absinthe that I would use only for making a Sazerac. I didn't want to spend $50 on a bottle that I only use a splash of and in only one particular drink. I tried using an inexpensive Italian anise liqueur but it wasn't a good substitute. Anyone have any suggestions ?

[akumushi]

Originally Posted by Caymus

I picked up a preference for the Sazerac cocktail on several visits to New Orleans. I'm looking for a less expensive brand of Absinthe that I would use only for making a Sazerac. I didn't want to spend $50 on a bottle that I only use a splash of and in only one particular drink. I tried using an inexpensive Italian anise liqueur but it wasn't a good substitute. Anyone have any suggestions ?

Absinthe is simply an expensive thing to make, as it blended from the distilates of 6 or more different herbs and put through a pretty elaborate process, usually in a traditional, copper alembic still, so $50 is about as cheap as palatable absinthe gets (under that and you'd be wasting your money on swill). At just under $50 and for your purposes, a bottle of Kubler would do nicely. Keep in mind you'll only have to pay that price once, then you'll have enough absinthe for a year's worth of Sazeracs (and you might even begin to enjoy an occasional glass on its own.)

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by Caymus

I picked up a preference for the Sazerac cocktail on several visits to New Orleans. I'm looking for a less expensive brand of Absinthe that I would use only for making a Sazerac. I didn't want to spend $50 on a bottle that I only use a splash of and in only one particular drink. I tried using an inexpensive Italian anise liqueur but it wasn't a good substitute. Anyone have any suggestions ?

During the ban, it was normally made with pastis like Pernod or Ricard. Pastis is related to absinthe in that it's basically absinthe without the wormwood. There is one from New Orleans, but the name escapes me.

[akumushi]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

During the ban, it was normally made with pastis like Pernod or Ricard. Pastis is related to absinthe in that it's basically absinthe without the wormwood. There is one from New Orleans, but the name escapes me.

Pastis is a star anise drink, talk about your licorice bomb. I'd stay away from it unless you LOVE black jelly beans. In general an absinthe that uses star anise rather than green anise is considered a sub par drink.
Herbsaint is an acceptable Absinthe substitute, but it is made without the primary ingredient: wormwood. If it's half the price, you might want to try the Herbsaint first, as it is often used in Sazeracs and may actually have been what you were served in NO, since authentic Absinthe has not been widely available in the U.S. until just the last few years, and even now it's hard to call its current status "widely available." Being a fan of Absinthe, I'd say just go with a bottle of Lucid or Kubler and try it out.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by akumushi

Pastis is a star anise drink, talk about your licorice bomb. I'd stay away from it unless you LOVE black jelly beans. In general an absinthe that uses star anise rather than green anise is considered a sub par drink.
Herbsaint is an acceptable Absinthe substitute, but it is made without the primary ingredient: wormwood. If it's half the price, you might want to try the Herbsaint first, as it is often used in Sazeracs and may actually have been what you were served in NO, since authentic Absinthe has not been widely available in the U.S. until just the last few years, and even now it's hard to call its current status "widely available." Being a fan of Absinthe, I'd say just go with a bottle of Lucid or Kubler and try it out.

They use star anise to enhance the louche.

[akumushi]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

They use star anise to enhance the louche.

At the expense of flavor. There are many fine absinthes that louche thick and opalescent without the aid of star anise. For most connoisseurs, the use of star anise is the mark of an inferior absinthe. I actually enjoy a pastis every once in a while, but I find Pastis and Absinthe to be entirely different drinks with different flavor profiles. If I want star anise and licorice flavor, a Pastis is the way to go. I find the flavors in absinthe far more subtle and complex.
As for the Jade line, it absolutely is a fine line of products, however, Lucid is their bottom tier entry for the US market. It is good, but not great. Jade Nouvelle Orleans is the only one of their higher line (that actually carries the "Jade" name) that is commercially available in the US, and it retails for almost twice the price of a bottle of Lucid. I would love it if the Jade Eduaord or Jade 1901 were available to purchase in US stores, but until they are, I will continue to recommend many other fine domestic absinthes over Lucid. Drink what you like and like what you drink.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by akumushi

At the expense of flavor. There are many fine absinthes that louche thick and opalescent without the aid of star anise. For most connoisseurs, the use of star anise is the mark of an inferior absinthe. I actually enjoy a pastis every once in a while, but I find Pastis and Absinthe to be entirely different drinks with different flavor profiles. If I want star anise and licorice flavor, a Pastis is the way to go. I find the flavors in absinthe far more subtle and complex.
As for the Jade line, it absolutely is a fine line of products, however, Lucid is their bottom tier entry for the US market. It is good, but not great. Jade Nouvelle Orleans is the only one of their higher line (that actually carries the "Jade" name) that is commercially available in the US, and it retails for almost twice the price of a bottle of Lucid. I would love it if the Jade Eduaord or Jade 1901 were available to purchase in US stores, but until they are, I will continue to recommend many other fine domestic absinthes over Lucid. Drink what you like and like what you drink.

And you are absolutely right! I, however, mostly drink it with lemonade (called a Hemingway), so it doesn't make sense for me to pay more than about $60 a bottle.

[akumushi]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

And you are absolutely right! I, however, mostly drink it with lemonade (called a Hemingway), so it doesn't make sense for me to pay more than about $60 a bottle.

Have you ever tried a Death in the Afternoon? You pour a dose of absinthe and then louche it with champagne. Drink a couple of those and you'll see why it got its name. I think they're delicious and they give one of the best lush buzzes around, although I hardly ever have absinthe and champagne in the house at the same time. It's probably a good thing, as that is a dangerous cocktail!

[Subvet642]

As for myself, I like Lucid. It's the commercial label of Ted Breault, an analytical chemist from New Orleans who, having analyzed several vintage bottles from the Belle Epoch and comparing them to published recipes, developed a line of boutique absinthes under the name "Jade". I've been buying absinthe since long before the ban was lifted; And I think that Lucid is probably the best of the commercial labels. Like cigars, they all have different flavor profiles and taste is always subjective. The best of the boutique labels aren't blended, they're macerated and distilled together. Here is a link to a great absinthe information site:

http://www.absinthemuseum.com/