St. George Absinthe Verte

Real absinthe. No artificial ingredients, no gimmicks.

The first legal American absinthe released after the U.S. ban was lifted in 2007, St. George Absinthe Verte remains one of the most acclaimed and respected spirits in thiscategory.

Whats in it?

Wormwood, fennel, star anise infused in brandy and then distilled. The resulting distillate is infused with mint, tarragon, opal basil, lemon balm, hyssop, and stinging nettle.

The Process

Distiller Lance Winters considers absinthe the pinnacle of the distillers art form. Why? Because creating a beautiful absinthe means taking a number of loud botanicalingredients and making them sing in harmony.

For us, it didnt happen overnight.

While the U.S. ban was still in place, it was illegal to sell absinthe, but not to distill it. We distilled alot of absinthe during that period, and when the American ban was overturned in 2007, we were ready.

Theres a lot of mystery surrounding absinthe, but the process itself isnt really all that esoteric. The real art is in harmonizing a variety of botanical ingredients and creating asymphony of flavor.

For us, that means infusing brandy with wormwood, fennel, and star anise. We then distill this infusion on our 1,500-liter copper pot still. After that, weperform a secondary infusion of mint, tarragon, opal basil, lemon balm, hyssop, and stinging nettles.

The secondary infusion is what gives absinthe color; just after the secondary infusion, our absinthe is an intense emerald green. By thetime we bottle it and the bottle reaches you, the absinthe will have turned its characteristicfeuille morte(dead leaf) hue due to chlorophyll from all the botanicals breakingdown with time and exposure to light.

The Experience

A heady, herbaceous smack to the senses. Opens with spicy black licorice, then slowly evolves into citrus and grass profiles with a dose of sarsaparilla. Because of the abundance of essential oils, its rich and viscous on the palateeven at 120 proof (60% alcohol).

To bring out another level of vivid flavors and a lovely louche (milky cloudiness) that seems to glow from within, a single large ice cube is ideal. Adding water further releasesbotanical oils into solution, deepening the louche and intensifying the heady, floral aroma.

We dont advocate adding sugar to our absintheor to anyother artisanally distilled absinthe for that matter. Having developed its recipe over years of patient experimentation, we think its pretty much perfect just as it is.

In cocktails that call for an anise spirit, St. George Absinthe Verte adds exceptional complexity and depth of flavor. It heightens its fellow herbal ingredients in classic recipes like the Tuxedo. We often see our absinthe used in Tiki cocktails, like theZombie. And if youre an absinthe lover, indulge yourself with anAbsinthe Frappor anAbsinthe Suissesse.