French Connection: Grande Absente Provides Link Between America and
Forbidden French Absinthe Recipe
148 Year-Old French Recipe Harkens the Pinnacle of Absinthe Era
NEW YORK (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) July 14, 2008 --
Americans looking to hoist a glass in honor of today’s
French Bastille Day can now turn to the authentic Grande Absente,
Absinthe Originale. Hand crafted in Provence, Grande Absente,
Absinthe Originale is one of the oldest, traditional absinthe
recipes dating back to 1860 and originating from south of France - the
epicenter of absinthe culture in the late 19th
century. Grande Absente, Absinthe Originale features a full
measure of the legendary botanical Wormwood, also known as artemesia
absithium – a key ingredient in authentic
absinthe.
“Not since the early 1900s have Americans been
able to experience the caliber of absinthe that Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde
and Toulouse-Lautrec enjoyed during their time,”
said the legendary Michele Roux, chairman of Crillon Importers, and the
man personally responsible for the current absinthe craze in America. “After
reviewing more than 200 recipes, we selected the one that would become Grande
Absente because it offered an authentic and original absinthe
recipe, but also a great taste.”
Legal in Europe since 1988, absinthe has re-emerged with a cult-like
following that has allured consumers with its mystique and infamous
past. Roux, renowned for setting drink trends, was intrigued by “the
green fairy” and determined to revive absinthe
in the United States.
In 2000, Crillon Importers gained approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco
Tax and Bureau to create the first legal US Absinthe Product in the
United States. With the government’s recent
lifting the ban on wormwood, the pioneers of the absinthe category now
offer an original and authentic absinthe recipe for Americans to
experience with Grande Absente, Absinthe Originale.
Grande Absente is made exclusively with the highest quality
spirits and select botanicals, including wormwood, and mugwort, Artemisia
vulgaris, a reputed aphrodisiac, clearly a “French
influence!” Some of the other regional
botanicals include anise, peppermint and balm which help provide Grande
Absente with its great flavor and a refreshing finish. Much like the
authentic absinthes of the Belle Époque Era, Grande
Absente is 138 proof and 69 percent alcohol by volume. This
authentic proof delivers consumers a full absinthe experience while not
sacrificing on taste.
“It’s a myth and a
crutch that absinthe is supposed to taste bad,”
said Jim Nikola, senior vice president of marketing, Crillon Importers. “Our
Grande Absente is painstakingly handcrafted using the perfect
blend of the finest regional botanicals and distilled with classic
artisanal methods.”
During the Belle Époque era in Paris, the
renowned absinthe culture was at its height of infamy. Absinthe was the
trademark drink of artists like Degas, Manet, Picasso, Van Gogh and
Toulouse-Lautrec. Many of the most celebrated painters devoted pieces to
the spirit such as Manet’s The Absinthe
Drinker and Degas’ L’Absinthe.
Writers such as Wilde exalted absinthe by waxing poetic about its
effects on the mind. Wilde famously wrote, "After the first glass, you
see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as
they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is
the most horrible thing in the world."
Ernest Hemmingway gained inspiration from the green-hued elixir, even
incorporating absinthe in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. To
this day, absinthe continues to inspire creativity of the art community
and legendary artists.
Grande Absente is 69 percent alcohol by volume and 138 proof, the
typical proof point of authentic absinthe recipes. It’s
available nationwide for approximately $70 a 750 ml bottle and packaged
with a complimentary gold-plated absinthe spoon.
About Crillon Importers
Grande Absente is imported and marketed in the U.S. by Crillon
Importers, founded by legendary spirits marketer Michel Roux and located
in Paramus, New Jersey. In addition to Grande Absente, the company
imports a variety of high end spirit brands including Agavero, Magellan
Gin, Absente, Absinthe Refined and Rhum Barbancourt.
See the original story at: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/absinthe/absente/prweb1104054.htm
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