Good ‘morrow gentle Libertines.  Here is a selection of absinthe and neo-bohemia related items in the world news over the past week or two for your reading pleasure.

Angie Rayfield of the Examiner thinks a fitting tribute to the late Mr Jackson is the “ABC Cocktail” - consisting of 1/3 absinthe, 1/3 Bacardi and 1/3 Chartreuse. I’m not sure if this is just lazy journalism or lazy mixology. Anyone brave enough to try this please, let us know how bad it really is.

Also from the Examiner, an article on Austin-based absinthe bar, Peche

An artisan Bohemian style bar in the UK, Opium, utilising the works of local craftsmen and artists will be functional gallery enabling the imbiber to also be an imbuyber.

A nice article on the LA based Malediction Society running steam-punk affair events

and finally a blog piece on Ted Breaux’s Great Absinthe Crusade

And Melbourne readers, don’t forget the Absinthe Party Ticket Competition being sponsored by the Marionette Talent Agency.  Entries close 3 July 2009 - send in a photo of you looking decadently brilliant to newlibertines @ absinthe.com.au and you can win a free ticket.

Dear friendly Libertines amongst the Melburnian set,

Do you have a frock coat and brocaded shirt just dying for an excuse to come out of the closet?

Maybe an insanely tight corset to die for (not in!) or a pair of flirty French ‘Lolly Bloomers’  that screams for some damn high kicking?

The fine people at Marionette Management Talent Agency are having a launch party on the 24th July 2009 on an Absinthe theme, which is a damn good excuse to get dressed in your finest fabulous Victoriana - with a shot of green of course - and go party with all the beautiful, and most talented people. Only $25 for the waged, and $17 for those undergoing higher learning, it will be held at Chasers, 29 Bray Street, South Yarra, with tickets available from Moshtix.

Through the Marionette’s generosity, we at Absinthe.com.au have managed to secure a free double pass for the most fantastically adorned Absinthe.com.au member from Victoria, who can send us a photo of themselves in their Bohemian finest, with a distinctive piece of viridian plumage in their attire.  If you are a couple, why not submit an entry of both of you together?

This is not a competition of chance, luck or serendipity folks. We want you to dress to impress.  The most impressive outfit will secure the prize to what should be an evening of high glamour.

Send an email with your photo to newlibertines @ absinthe.com.au, including your name, absinthe.com.au login name, address & phone number (of both parties if photo is of a couple).

Competition closes Friday 3 JULY 2009. The winner will be announced Friday 10 JULY 2009.

Terms and Conditions:

1) Participation in the competition includes full acceptance of these terms and conditions. 2) Competition open only to those 18 years and older who are members of absinthe.com.au. 3) Entrant(s) will be required to verify their identity and that submitted photos are of themselves and not of a third party. 4) Winner(s) will permit the publishing of their name (or requested nom-de-plume) and photo on absinthe.com.au. 5) All Entrant(s) will also permit the publishing of their photos in a gallery of the “Best Dressed”  on Absinthe.com.au.  Images will not be used in any other commercial capacity. 6) All photos and personal details will be available to the relevant staff of Absinthe.com.au and the Marionette Management Talent Agency for purposes of judging only. At the completion of the competition all personal details and images will not be retained and will be destroyed, save those of the Winner(s) and selected “Best Dressed” as proof of participation under the above Terms and Conditions. No personal details or images will be shared with any other third parties other than those identified in these Terms and Conditions. 7) Winner(s) will be notified by phone and email.

Absinthe Jade Edouard 72%
Reviewed 15 May 2009

Jade Edouard, in its relatively short life, has become quiet a phenomenon. This absinthe was created by Ted Breaux at Jade Liqueurs as an answer to Edouard Pernod, the pre-ban classic absinthe. Though not all absintheurs have had the opportunity to judge for themselves, anyone who has tasted the Jade Edouard will tell you the modern version is one hell of a fine absinthe.

Jade Edouard 72

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Now you can hallucinate under the Green Fairy’s spell on your next Trans-American flight.

At least this is what the media coverage would like to suggest, with the news that Sir “Getting It Up” Dicko Branson will be serving absinthe on Virgin America flights in First Class and Cabin Select.

Just which absinthe has the pleasure of becoming a born-again Virgin?

Le Tourment Vert.

While the trademarks have been registered in Australia, we are yet to see this product on Australian shores, and to be frank we aren’t salivating in anticipation at Absinthe.com.au.  While this brand has been making big media in the US, with some big promotional dollars - amongst the absinthe intelligensia we learn that the biggest fundamental faults with the product is that it doesn’t louche and is artificially coloured to buggery. The flavour profile leaves a lot to be desired as well.

Probably no wonder that Virgin are using it for cocktails rather than any traditional preparation.

Oh, but it gets better. The inaugural absinthe cocktail - The Mile High - is a creative mixological opus that combines Tourment Vert with Sprite lemonade. With a wedge of lemon.

With Virgin about to launch their international service in Australia, I sincerely hope that Australian flyers are not short changed into losing their ‘absinthe viriginity’ to a second rate product that many are even questioning as to whether it deserves the moniker.

You’re on notice Dicko.  Don’t make it an experience we’ll all regret next morning.

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Love
-Edwin Morgan

Love rules. Love laughs. Love marches. Love
is the wolf that guards the gate.
Love is the food of music, art, poetry. It
fills us and fuels us and fires us to create.
Love is terror. Love is sweat. Love is bashed
pillow, crumpled sheet, unenviable fate.
Love is the honour that kills and saves and nothing
will ever let that high ambiguity abate.
Love is the crushed ice that tingles and shivers
and clinks fidgin-fain for the sugar-drenched
absinth to fall on it and alter its state.
With love you send a probe
So far from the globe
No one can name the shoals the voids the belts the
zones the drags the flares it signals all to
leave all and to navigate.

Who says the era of absinthe-addled poets is part of history long gone?

This poem written in 2002 by Scotland’s National Poet, Edwin Morgan shows that the allure of the green muse still prompts literary reference and deference.
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An event fast becoming noteworthy on the calender in terms of absinthe is the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

It is true that in previous years that the (lack of) knowledge and discernment has been reflected in the absinthe products that have surprisingly received awards.  Oh, don’t get me wrong - I’m sure the judges selected have been experts in their fields in wine, mainstream spirits and cocktail creations - bit the relative obscurity of absinthe in the commercial mainstream until quite recently can only raise the question as to what the basis of comparison was for some of the decisions?

We have moved on a bit - and perhaps the most fascinating trend to emerge from the competition is the proliferation of new American absinthe products from artisan distillers throwing their hat into the ring (and relative absence of high end European brands with an exception or two).

While most of these products are not yet available in Australia, it is a good idea to become familiar with the new offerings emerging in the American markets, and ponder whether we might see something of the Old World-New World divide emerging in the future, not unlike wine.

Gold Medal Winner

Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure, Pennsylvania, USA

Silver Medal Winner

Obsello Absinthe Verte, Spain

Bronze Medal Winners

Redux Absinthe, Ohio, USA

Leopold Bros. Absinthe Verte, USA

Versinthe Absinthe, France

Jade Nouvelle-Orleans Review 30 March 2009

Jade Liquers Absinthe has had a near mythical status over the past 10 years.  Literally meeting the oft-imagined archetype of mad scientists retro-engineering original absinthe with modern technology, the Jade portfolio of absinthe has had a very difficult birth.  Through government stalling, fluctuating business relationships,  frequent beating of the piñata of popular absinthe myth - the drinks affectionately known to many as Breaux’s Brews (after Jade’s founder Ted Breaux, scientist, absintheur and chiselled Val Kilmer look-alike) is subject of a tale I’m sure that will be told by a skillful raconteur still to come.  Unfortunately many of us involved in the proto-revival are not at an arms-length to the Jade story.  Many were recipients of early clandestine versions, some were avid supporters, some hardened critics.

Even fellow editor Mr Maxwell and myself were subjected to hours of consuming an early version of Jade in a steamy Bangkok summer at the infamous ‘Chateau Jade’ where some early distillation development occurred by the proprietor - but I assure you dear reader that we were there for the good company, Thai food and absinthe, not the dominatrixes in cat suits.  (But they certainly helped the atmosphere of decadence).

That brings me to the actual tasting of Nouvelle-Orleans….

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Adelaide Fringe Review - Shakti: Classical Hindu Temple Dancing, 21 March 09

Our closing review for the Adelaide Fringe (and what a festival it has been - kudo’s to all the hardworking organisers), touches on many diverse points, and for me sums up something of what the Fringe is about.

Shakti is a bit of an enigma.

Of combined Indian and Japanese heritage, this dancer represents a fierce alchemical polarity, the yub-yum if you will.  Her performance of Classical Hindu Temple Dancing represents one extreme balanced against another perfomance of hers in the Fringe, an adaption of Oscar Wilde’s play on Judean Princess, Salome, (a performance of which I am now kicking myself over for not seeing).  The latter performance, Salome, projects raw sensuality, human, physically manifested in an earthly domain, grounded.

The Hindu Temple Dance however wears a more conservative veil, seemingly more restrained.  However the energies invoked are in fact no different, no less potent and transformative, just channelled differently - the key difference is that these dances were originally were reserved for the Gods themselves.  There are striking parallels to traditions such as Vodou where there is a saying “You are not praying if you are not moving your feet”.

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Die Roten Punkte - Adelaide Fringe, Bosco Theatre, 17 March 2009

Have you ever wanted to think the worst of the White Stripes in a dirty Perez Hilton sort of way?

Now you can get your chance by indulging in the eurotrash high-jinks of Die Roten Punkte (which actually translates as the Red Dots – geddit?!? – and not a homage to John Lydon as you might badly translate if you only know your German from repeats of Hogan’s Heroes or reading subtitles of Inspector Rex).

This show is ultimately about therapy.  Certainly for our brother and sister act, Otto and Astrid, who through the therapeutic powers of drum and power chord written songs come to grips with family tragedy, alcoholism and suppressed incestory tendencies.  But maybe therapy for myself also, causing one to reflect upon ones younger formative musical years?

Our protagonists explore the fringes of straight edge and old school punk, Nick Cave-ish poetic indulgence, EBM/Eurosynthpop and yea verily, Bavarian beer hall songs.  I have to admit a guilty familiarity to the various musical phases one passes in one’s ‘yoof’, and scarily so I seemed to identify with the show with more irony then should probably be permitted.

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