Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure
The French Quarter, locally known as Vieux Carré, is the soul of New Orleans, Louisiana. This city is replete with culture, architectural beauty and culinary arts. Philadelphia Distilling pays tribute to the unique and colorful history of Absinthe in New Orleans with the release of Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure. The first batch of Vieux Carré was released on December 31, 2008. It is the first legal absinthe to be distilled, bottled and sold on the East Coast of the United States in nearly 100 years.
Vieux Carré’s flavor and color are derived exclusively from 100% natural herbs. The flavor is complex with familiar anise notes and a balance between sweetness from Star Anise and the bitterness of Wormwood. The deep green color is reminiscent of a vintage jewel. The spirit is not over filtered, preserving the flavors extracted through the natural coloring process. A minuscule herbal particulate is natural if found.
Vieux Carré is batch distilled using a double maceration process featuring the mysterious Grande Wormwood and Petite Wormwood. Green and Star Anise, Fennel Doux, Lemon Balm, Genepi, Hyssop and Spearmint complete the complex flavor profile. Vieux Carré is an original artisan spirit that combines historic processes with a modern expertise.
Traditional Serving
Absinthe is traditionally consumed simply diluted with ice cold water. As the water tempers the alcohol, the rich louche slowly builds as the essential oils refract light and create a dynamic opalescence. With the addition of chilled water the complexity of each herbal layer will come to fruition. The warm, long and lingering finish is harmonious, complex and subtle.
History of Absinthe
Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Due in part to its association with bohemian culture, absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy).
At first adopted by the aristocracy, it became socially desirable to be seen drinking absinthe in public. Coincidentally, the shortage on French wines during the phylloxera outbreak in the middle of the 19th century caused the price of people’s daily drink to skyrocket. Absinthe became the affordable tipple of European society. At cafes from Paris to Prague, absinthe was drunk by artists and laborers, butchers and bankers. Even women freely enjoyed the elaborate absinthe ritual in public.
New Orleans also embraced the Green Fairy with a particular affection. Here, absinthe took off in 1869, when the Aleix brothers opened a bar named the "Old Absinthe House" at the corner of Bourbon and Bienville streets in the French district. This same bar stands today in its original location, enticing tourists with its green-tinted libations.
