Happiness is...

...a fresh shipment from overseas...;)

IWSC 2007: Absinthe Awards

Award winners for Absinthe from the 2007 International Wine and Spirits Competition helps to explain why PF1901 and Verte Suisse supplies have been decimated:

Country	Award	Category	Winning Spirit	Producer
France		Absinthe - France - 65-70%	Jade Verte Suisse	Jade Liqueurs
Switzerland		Absinthe - Switzerland - 50-55%	La Fée XS Absinthe Suisse	BBH Spirits
Switzerland		Absinthe - Switzerland - 60-72%	Absinthe Duplais Balance 60%	Oliver Matter & Markus Lion
France		Absinthe - France - 65-70%	Jade PF 1901	Jade Liqueurs
France		Absinthe - France - 65-70%	La Fée Parisian Absinthe	BBH Spirits
Switzerland		Absinthe - Switzerland - 50-55%	Absinth Studer	Studer & Co AG

Mansinthe

There has been a lot of Mansinthe press since it became available, and I've been happy to read that it does, in fact, contain Artemisia absinthium, not just pontica, making it a proper absinthe after all! I tried a glass with Spoon and thought it was ok, though there was an artificial flavor that put me off, and the color doesn't look quite natural... but, then, Mr. Manson isn't exactly nature boy! Recent hype:

• Marilyn Manson Launches Own Brand of Absinthe Liquor at The Cleveland Leader 11/10/07,
• Whom do you hate? at The Australian 9/29/07,
• MANSON+ABSINTHE=MANSINTHE at The Worlds Best Ever 9/24/07,
• Mansinthe: Marilyn Manson Sells Own Line Of Absinthe in the 9/17/07 Huffington Post,
• Rolling Stones blurb from 9/17/07,
• Marilyn Manson Wants You To Sip On His Mansinthe on Chart Attach 9/14/07,

"Mansinthe"? Hmmm...

Word is out that Marilyn Manson has unveiled his "Mansinthe" absinthe-like spirit, produced by Markus Lion. The drink apparently contains no (large) wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), but likely contains a good quantity of Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica) to get around U.S. laws regarding the former herb... no matter that the latter contains that controvertial toxin as well...

Good to bet on this and other absinthe fans having to correct bloggers and journalists who will surely refer to it as an actual "absinthe"...:)

Update: Turns out they bailed on the "no large wormwood" plan and that Mansinthe is, in fact, proper absinthe. More info to come...

Duplais on Liquor Snob

Liquor snob post about Duplais winning a gold medal at the 2006 IWSC, but no actual review... strange for them! They probably thought it best to keep themselves legit with "we'd really like to get our hands on a bottle" and "from what we're hearing..." They do link to Absinthe-Distribution.com, of course...;)

Update: Yep, they ordered it, and they got their shipment of the 3-pack; looking forward to reading their reviews. I bet they prefer the blanche.