So, after a few months of use, I did get hooked on the XXI century absinthe revival.

I started moderately but daily drinking legit absinthe this year, after an overall wait of 17 years and a few of very bad experiences with ersatz "absinth". I always admired the famous cultural context (Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, Satie, Wilde...), but it also turned out to be a very different and fascinating drink in itself; while all other kinds of alcohol I tried in my life tasted basically bad and got me basically hammered, absinthe looks beautiful, tastes great, is calming yet focusing, stimulant without euphoria and definitely provides of more intense dreams (although harder to recall). I've also lost a bit of weight, since I'm less hungry over the day, cut clean on soda and Red Bull, drink a lot of pure water and always take the absinthe without sugar.

On the other hand, it's still a very high proof spirit (way above Vodka, which is 45°) and it might take a toll on me at some point. It's definitely not hallucinogenic, not at all, but I don't discard that the alcohol intake alone could be contributing to a certain regression I've been experimenting lately, involving a sort of late imaginary friend or foe but insidious 2nd voice and presence in my head. It could always be just the years of solitude affecting my behavior, but I still think I should be careful on that regard...

Anyway, it's been a fun ride to try and collect bottles of several brands. The pic shows them all plus a few shots I prepared today for a couple customer reviews. My final ranking of this first year goes as follow:

Berthe de Joux 56° < Un Émile 68° < François Guy 45° < [WOULD BUY AGAIN] < Libertine 72° < Authentique 65° < Enigma 72° < Angélique 68°

They are all mid-range vertes from either France or Swiss (specially the Pontarlier and Val de Travers border, currently fighting each other for a protected designation of origin over absinthe). All can be bought worldwide at http://www.absinthes.com/index.php and, except for Libertine and Enigma (which contain star anise), all of them are orthodox and high regarded enough to qualify for the http://www.absintheclassics.com/index.php purist store. My last annotations would be:

- Weak but cheapest passable introduction: Un Émile
- Best choice for anise (feminine/soft): Enigma (cheaper but dirty substitute: Libertine)
- Best choice for wormwood (masculine/strong): Angélique
- Best choice for round balance: Authentique
- Not worth the bargain: François Guy
- Famous but no thank you (tastes like wine): Berthe de Joux

In terms of distilleries:

Guy < Paul Devoille < Emile Pernot < Artémisia-Bugnon

I hope to be able to taste the Jade line (pre-ban clones; very costly) as soon as smaller samples are available again.

I also plan to taste (just taste) some bleues too; at least La Clandestine 53, also by Artémisia-Bugnon's founder Claude-Alain Bugnon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ny5hoUO2Ko (this one video is also great, if you get by with french: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ny5hoUO2Ko ).

What to avoid (specially as a clueless beginner):

- All USA-made absinthes are on diapers and/or rely heavily on star anise, so NO
- All the "absinthes" from Czech Republic and Spain are fake anissed / ersatz, so NO
- All fake colored or above 80° "absinthes", regardless of origin, are an obvious NO
- Anything with the word "Absinth" on it and meant to be set on fire, is a deadly NO.

Absinthe never, EVER, is lit on fire (nor the sugar). That's an idiotic late XX century barman and Hollywood myth with no absolutely no logical or historical foundation (you might even break your glass for heat shock)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR2ZJ1cGxyw

Unless you just wanna alcohol-burn your mouth and waste valuable measures of a good drink, Absinthe is never taken straight either: the louche is absolutely necessary to open the aromatics, taste and finish qualities of the drink. It's what makes it tasty and creamy.

Final notes:

- Sugar is simply not needed and more often than not it fowls the drink.
- Pontarlier et al. absinthe measured glasses are nice and all, but not needed either.
- Absinthe spoons are pretty damned cool, but a simple fork works too...
- ...and it's all useless if no sugar cubes are involved, so not needed too.
- Fountains/drippers are fancy only if you're on a motherfucker tour display;
- a steady hand and a bottle of very cold water will suffice and will come up very handy indeed.
- Slow preparation, however, is needed, or the louche forms weirdly and the drink can be ruined.
- The final ratio is entirely your choice, but as soon as the louche reaches the surface...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFWANCZSY0

... you're ready to go.

That would be all for this first year.

>>474
>The pic shows them all

Sorry. Here are the bottles.

>>475
This is the english documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLYUqO-wMm4

Sorry again.

Just a little update.

Products tasted ever since last time (be not fooled by the relative sizes in the image; most of them are 70cl but scale isn't unified):

- Liqueur La Clandestine Creme d'Absinthe 15° [Absinthe-based dessert drink]
- La Clandestine 53°
- Abisinthe Amer 72°
- La Ptite 53°
- La Valdetra Verte 65°
- Butterfly 65°
- Eichelberger Verte 78°

Overall current ranking (not including past failures):

Abisinthe Amer 72° < Eichelberger Verte 78° < [WOULD BUY AGAIN] < Butterfly 65° < Libertine 72° < Authentique 65° < Enigma 72° < La Valdetra Verte 65° = La Ptite 53° < Angélique 68° = La Clandestine 53°

A few comments:

- Creme d'Absinthe (sold online exceptionally during New Year) is basically an absinthe-flavored rompope, that is, pretty tasty. Great execution of a simple concept. Don't miss the chance ot try it if ever possibly again.
- Amer is probably the most traditional but dullest absinthe made by Paul Devoille. No green at all.
- Butterfly is the most french-like absinthe made by Bugnon. Good for variety but expensive and not as remarkable, I´d rather buy Angelique or Authentique whenever possible.
- Bleu (clear) absinthe turned out to be absolutely delicious. Very soft, sweet and feminine, a caress to the body and soul. A new habit of mine (I liked Clandestine as much if not more than Angélique) though I'm still a vert-based guy.
- Gaudentia Persoz (only woman in the bussiness right now) turned out to be a skilled distiller; her products (La Ptite, Valdeterra) neatly put forward the same characteristic taste of Val De Travers's wormwood with creamy fine anise, so they serve as a slightly cheaper substitute of Artemisia-Bugnon (Clandestine, Angélique) which is still the best mid-range brand I've tasted so far.
- Eichelberg (known as the best german absinthe) is a rough, severe drink. Even after louche, 78° version is almost as dry as whisky, very manly; good to tame or knock you out when needed (as I will soon) but not for regular consumption and not what I look for in absinthe.

The most important for daily consumption is to have some variety. Clear swiss might have been the greatest discovery and german not so much, but it all really depends on the mood; say, I really mourn not having any Paul Devoille (Libertine, Enigma) in my batch right now, for every now and then a snack is all one really wants.

So pour Absinthe into a glass and drink it right? Got it.