An Absinthe Minded FAQ - Part 2; Local sources and recommendations

Hazel's in Boulder, CO. Photo credit: Chris Bays 

Q: I'm at my local package store for a bottle of the Green Fairy. There are too many pretty labels on the shelf! How do I decide??


R: First of all, know that this is an investment. As such, you will get exactly what you pay for in a bottle of absinthe - there is a positive correlation between price and quality. If you look at nothing else, the highest priced bottle is likely to have the best balance of flavor, color, mouthfeel (that faintly astringent or tingly-on-the-tongue quality), and louche (the clouded appearance).


Consider too, that there are about 25 "doses" or servings of absinthe in a 750 ml bottle. At $75 for a bottle, that's about $3 per glass. So, actually cheaper than a $20 bottle of wine! And the alcohol content is about the same.


However, maybe you've got some choices in the $60-$75 range. In Denver, there are three local craft producers that are worth checking out.


Redux (Golden Moon Distillery, Golden, CO) 4.0/5 rating from The Wormwood Society. We've gone through one bottle of this very respectable absinthe, and were quite pleased. Flavors are fresh and intense, and the louche is a very entertaining mix of trails. Available from the distillery; checking on store availability.


Leopold Brothers (Leopold Bros, Denver, CO) - 4.3/5 rating from TWS. I haven't tried this one, but it is appealing; said to be well-balanced with at room-filling fragrance. The bottles are labeled with batch numbers. Select batches after #15. Readily available in liquor stores in the Denver Metro.


Trinity (Novovino Wine, Loveland, CO) 3.3/5 rating from TWS. A new one to me, this absinthe is described as "a good start", although it has already garnered a gold medal at the Denver International Spirits Festival. It is described as having light flavors, and a good candidate for a "standard" absinthe. Well worth a try. Available in many area liquor stores.


Looking at the shelf at Hazel's in Boulder (one of the better-appointed stores in the Metro), I honestly can't recommend any of the other offerings. (Check out the first FAQ in this series for cautionary tales.) Chambers Wine and Liquor carries a good variety, but beware of that lurid green one.


In short, you *can* pick up a perfectly good absinthe in Denver tonight.


Next time: More Sources and Recommendations.