The Devil's Club Organic Absinthe

Return of the green fairy

September 27, 2019 No Comments

The spirit that supposedly drove a generation of French artists mad is back in B.C., where distillers are reinventing absinthe

The traditional way to serve absinthe is by filling a fountain like this one at Botanist with ice water, then dripping it through a sugar cube on a spoon into the spirit, where it creates the cloudy effect known as the louche. Dan Toulgoet photo

It’s all fun and games until someone loses an ear. Vincent Van Gogh’s escapades might have delivered the final cut to the fashionable, anise-flavoured spirit absinthe, invented in Switzerland in the late 18th century and favoured by Belle Époque bohemians. Seen as highly addictive and dangerous, it was banned in the U.S. and much of Europe for nearly a century, until 2007.

Likely the poor quality or high-proof base spirit—not the relatively small amount of hallucogenic thujone, naturally found in absinthe’s bittering agent, wormwood (Artemesia absinthium)—was responsible for absinthe-attributed naughtiness. But its reputation as the bad boy of the spirits world persists, as does its role in cocktails, particularly of the French-influenced New Orleans school, such as the Sazerac, Corpse Reviver No. 2 and La Louisiane.

Here are five local absinthes to try, from newcomers to B.C.’s standard-bearers.

Features, Recipes

The Green Beast

September 24, 2019 No Comments

This modern take on an absinthe frappé was invented about a decade ago by French bartender Charles Vexenat for Pernod Ricard. At Pemberton Spirits, they make it with The Devil’s Club Organic Absinthe instead.

• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz absinthe
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 4 oz water
• Garnish: 4 slices cucumber

B.C. Distilleries

Pemberton Distillery

November 30, 2015 No Comments

Master distiller Tyler Schramm uses local organic Pemberton potatoes as the base for his extensive range of spirits
and liqueurs.

1954 Venture Pl., Pemberton
604-894-0222
PembertonDistillery.ca

TASTING NOTES:

Schramm Organic Potato Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Earthy; soil, wet wood, raw potato.
FLAVOUR: Dark chocolate, agave, smoky caramel.
FEEL: Bold, full-bodied, silky texture.
FINISH: Long, memorable, almost tequila-like.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat, or on the rocks for sipping; makes a great Martini with olives.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Not for everyone, but a fascinating finished product. Great example of traditional potato vodka using Scottish distillation techniques. —Scott Barber, April 2016

Schramm Organic Gin

FRAGRANCE: Fresh herbs, hints of citrus, lavender.
FLAVOUR: Subtle juniper, gooseberry.
FEEL: Off dry, light.
FINISH: Mild sweetness, herbaceous.
BEST ENJOYED: Fun to use with blackberries or Bing cherries in cocktails.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Fantastic local gin. Try some! —Scott Barber, July 2016

The Devil’s Club Organic Absinthe

FRAGRANCE: Fennel, anise, could be mistaken for Yellow Chartreuse.
FLAVOUR: Hints of hemp seed, anise is not overpowering, bright fennel, hops, warm wormwood.
FEEL: Perfect amount of silkiness.
FINISH: Finishes hot, bright, non offensive.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat, or in a cocktail emphasizing citrus.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A must try! Super fresh, it’s 60 per cent ABV, so go easy. —Scott Barber, October 2016

Organic Kartoffelschnapps

FRAGRANCE: Earth and honey.
FLAVOUR: Tastes like potato. Slightly sweet with gentle spicy notes.
FEEL: Good viscosity, full across the palate.
FINISH: Lingers at the back of your tongue, almost like candy.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a cocktail as a secondary liqueur.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Unique and worth a try. I have not sampled anything like this before. —Scott Barber, February 2017

Whisky & Wild Honey Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Whisky and honey. Surprise!
FLAVOUR: Vanilla. Leather.
FEEL: Velvety. Soft and luxurious.
FINISH: Increasingly complex.
BEST ENJOYED: On the rocks. Maybe with more (peated) whisky added as a Rusty Nail alternative.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A tasty local alternative to products made abroad. —Josh Pape, October 2017