Industry intel from the Just Drinks media group alert us to multinational wine and spirits behemoth Pernod Ricard announcing that it will support emerging visual artists, through a competition featuring its Pernod Aux Plantes d’Absinthe Superieure brand.

The contest will award its first place winner $1805 US in cash with a second place prize of $500 and third place $250. There are plans for a celebratory event to be run concurrently with The Armory Show, the annual international art fair, in New York City.

Brian Eckert, Pernod brand manager for Pernod Ricard USA is quoted as saying “Pernod has been a strong supporter of the arts since the brand debuted in France more than 200 years ago” - a statement I am sure is true if you count keeping bohemian artists in constant creative lubrication.

“Since its debut, Pernod has been a favourite drink among the cultural elite including Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Poe. We thought it fitting to honour this relationship with a contest that celebrates the artist in us all.”

While some may suggest that these cultural elite were also regarded fringe degenerates by polite society in their time, certainly Pernod Ricard as a modern company are doing their bit to support the arts so they are putting their money where their mouth is.

Interested artists must submit only original works, and all works submitted must include the date 1805, the date the brand was first launched.  Submissions are being accepted until the end of  January, 2010, in the following categories: painting, illustration, photography, video, digital/animation.

Submissions will be accepted entirely online at www.facebook.com/pernodabsinthe.

I had a most unusual realisation the other day.  I realised that I had grown up with British Musical Hall tradition tunes.  Now, being in my late thirties this may seem incongruous with a musical tradition that spanned the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, a hey-day for absinthe.  But something triggered a long forgotten memory in my mind of spending a good part of the late seventies as a child watching ABC television on Sunday nights I believe, following a long-running BBC show called “The Good Old Days“.

For those post-Gen X, this was a somewhat gloriously hokey romp of a tv show (yea, camp even - Victorian Drag anyone ?) where the entire audience dressed up in period Victorian-Edwardian garb (today we might say old school Steampunk….) and sang along to old show tunes with the performers, often well known comedians and singers of the day, hamming it up on stage reliving the glory days of British vaudeville. Such was its popularity that it ran for 30 years.

That’s what people did before Torrent downloads of Joss Whedon shows and internet porn.

It must be said that with the meteoric Burlesque revival, the revival of Music Hall must surely not be far behind, or have a potential niche in these “new old times”.   And so it is with some delight that I stumbled across the Australian performing duo known as Bygone Error, who are making a mark in the Australian folk scene with their resurrected show tunes and bawdy British humour from these delightfully fruity times past.  Think of a musical ‘Are You Being Served?’ in a snazzy bowler & waistcoat and you’ve hit the vibe.

I think these chaps have potential to go wider than the folk scene - any promoters in the Fringe Festival or neo-burlesque milieu should go give them a listen now.  I can easily see them being an excellent support to the other revived lost vaudevillian arts now back in vogue - and to my mind the musical side has been the one component of these traditions largely overlooked with the exception of specialised cabaret chanteuses such as Meow Meow.  But there is so much more musically from this era, and I am glad for one that this dynamic duo are broadening the re-experience of entertainment history.

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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Absinthe Duplais Blanche 72°

Matter-Luginbühl Distillery

Reviewed 8 Dec 2008

sans sucre

Quite simply, Absinthe Duplais Blanche is beautiful. It is smooth, alpine, refreshing and altogether bloody good.

What, that’s not long enough? OK, it is also delicate and refined, and certainly not the sort of thing you’d splash about on newbies or reach for halfway through a well-lubricated party. This one of those absinthes you keep at the front of the cabinet, but only get out when you’re feeling reeeeally generous. Or want to show off. Or are flush this month. Or have a craving.

Actually, I’m having one now.

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Since the fine folk at Absinthesalon provided me this bottle during a recent imbibing over excellent tapas, I’ve been waiting for good spring weather to review this absinthe with some professional distance and concerted contemplation. I tasted something very special over my garlic prawns that night -  but I needed a clean palate and fresh air to re-evaluate my first impressions.

And as it is a cottage-industry made absinthe, what is more appropriate than to review it in the garden of a cottage?

Those of you more familiar with the modern commercial absinthe offerings may not have heard the term used in some absinthe circles - Hausgemacht. Homemade. Prior to the global re-legalisation there was a lot of clandestine Hausgemacht absinthe being made and shipped secretly amongst the global absinthe community. Some laid the foundations for new global enterprise. Some served as a substitute for draino.

Eichelberger (Acorn Mountain) Spezialitaten Vert 68 is a special artisan absinthe made in Germany with its origins amongst the then clandestine teuton community, who challenged themselves to arrive at a quality crafted brew worthy of larger commercial production. The distiller Michael Weinzierl, under the pseudonym of Deep Forest, paved the way for his peer-supported absinthe to undergo production at a family run distillery in Bavaria owned by Dr Lili and Rudolph Wild. Production is usually limited to a quite small but special 30 litres per batch.

While it may seem small scale on production size and presentation - it is big on impressions.

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For the confused, a number of tourist retailers in Austria carry T-shirts with the above slogan. It would be funnier if it wasn’t for the fact that many an importing absintheur in Australia has in fact had their packages turn up in Austria instead.

However, I digress from the intention of this post.

Recent browsing through the Australian Trademarks Registry has alerted us to the fact that those mighty fine Fischer folk at the Vienna Schnapps Museum are in the process of finalising the legal leg work to bring two absinthe products to our antipodean shores from Austria.

The first is Absinth Grüne Fee - I must admit initial nervousness that this might be a ‘Czech’ style ‘absinth’, however referral to the company website indicates that it does louche, so I will hold any judgement until a proper review can be conducted.

The second is Mata Hari - Mark 2. I for one am pleased to see this product now coloured naturally instead for the vibrant radioactive green of past formulations. It still retains its ‘niche’ of being low on the anise to make it an accessible entry point for those otherwise adverse to this particular flavour.

Details are indeed sketchy at this time. However dear reader, as soon as we know more we shall ensure you know as well. Formal trademark approval was only granted late July 2008, so I well expect that we may see these on our markets before the years end.

One begins to develop specific criteria around when you want to have an absinthe, and how you would like an absinthe to be prepared. I for one seem to prefer to partake in absinthe when the weather is warmer, as the chilled water is more refreshing, and yet the ambient temperature allows for the heady aromas to burst forth from the bottle and the glass to add to the olfactory enjoyment.

It is therefore with some trepidation that I review this absinthe, Duplais Verte, as it is below 15 Celsius, wet and miserable outside. I will however press on with this review, but perhaps reserve the right to revisit my thoughts when spring has sprung and conditions are more to my liking.

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Verte de Fougerolles 72°
Devoille Distillery, Fougerolles, France
Reviewed 13 April 2008
Sans sucre

Paul Devoille is widely regarded as one of the world’s top contemporary absinthe producers, along with Markus Lion, Ted Breaux et. al; and with good reason. Paul’s absinthes are intricate arrangements of familiar flavour notes, presented in interesting combinations, with the occasional surprising ingredient slipped in with great effect. However, the Fougerolles varieties (see our Blanche review here) are by no means absinthes for the casual drinker or the neophyte absintheur - the Verte in particular can present certain flavour combinations which may not be immediately embraced by all drinkers, but more on that later. It is our opinion here at www.absinthe.com.au that both the Verte de Fougerolles and Blanche de Fougerolles belong in the upper echelon of Superieure, distilled absinthes, and makes for a very, very interesting absinthe experience.

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The San Francisco World Spirit Awards were recently held (in San Francisco, as it happens), and it seems Matter-Luginbuhl AG/Absinthe.decame out winners, scoring medals for two different absinthes.

The SF World Spirit Awards are, in their own words, “the first comprehensive, international spirits judging ever held in the United States on an annual basis…Founded in 2000 by Anthony Dias Blue, the Executive Director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition and Carol Seibert, the Managing Director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Spirits Competition continues to grow each year in entrants as well as in stature within the industry”. Judges for the competiton have been drawn from the upper eschelons of the US bars and clubs industry, distillers, journalists and editors and, oh dear… two ‘mixologists’. That term is rubbish. You’re a bartender, deal with it.

Anyway, my point is that the brains-trust behind the SF awards seems pretty secure, which cannot necessarily be said for those recently employed by Epicurious to ignorantly trash… pardon, review, the same absinthe which has just won an award.

A legitimate one, at that.

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