Our Handcrafted Absinthe Verte is prepared following the traditions of European Master Distillers of the 19th Century. We start with our aromatic eau-de-vie, placing it in our small 150 liter copper potstill, carefully adding the traditional Absinthe Verte herbs:  Anise, Grande Wormwood, and Sweet Fennel, together with a number of proprietary botanicals.

The herbs are gently distilled at a high alcoholic strength, capturing the essential aromas and oils that are in the very heart of our hand selected flowers and herbs. These herbs are grown and harvested in the fields of Spain, France, and Western Europe, and the unmistakable aromas of these peaceful European meadows are captured in every bottle of our Absinthe Verte.

Before the Absinthe Verte is bottled, it must undergo a coloring step.  Many commercial absinthes are colored artificially.  Ours is colored in the most traditional manner by placing our hand-selected coloring herbs, Hyssop, Melissa, and Roman Wormwood, in cheesecloth and steeping the blend in warmed Absinthe Verte.  These coloring herbs strengthen the floral aromas and citrusy undertones of the finished Absinthe Verte.  The high alcohol content of the Absinthe Verte leaches chlorophyll from the plant material, turning our Absinthe Verte into a wholly natural, vibrant green color that is similar to the gemstone, Peridot.  This unique hue is one of the reasons that French Impressionists of the Belle Époque took so strongly to traditionally prepared, handcrafted Absinthe Verte.

The traditional way to serve Absinthe Verte is to pour 1 ounce into a stemmed glass.  Ice-cold water served from a carafe or a special fountain is then slowly dripped into the glass until the Absinthe Verte is diluted to at least 3 parts water to one part Absinthe Verte.  If you do not have a suitable carafe, then prick a tiny hole in a chilled bottle of water to allow the water to drip into the absinthe glass, or if you are in a real pinch, use a clean, stainless steel baster to suck up chilled water from a glass and drip it into the absinthe glass.  The water releases the delicate and volatile aromas of the Absinthe Verte, filling the room with floral and savory scents. 

In addition, oily components that are not soluble at lower alcohol concentrations come out of solution, turning our clear, green Absinthe Verte into an opaque, milky white cocktail. The resulting swirling cloud is called the louche.  At the very top of the glass, a brilliantly clear green meniscus will form that will eventually disappear.  This meniscus is one of the hallmarks of a painstakingly handcrafted and traditionally prepared Absinthe Verte.

Some prefer to set a special slotted spoon on top of the glass, and then place a single sugar cube on the slotted spoon.  The ice water is then slowly dripped through the sugar cube, sweetening the Absinthe Verte Cocktail.  You will likely find that added sugar is unnecessary in Leopold Bros. Absinthe Verte, as the perfectly balanced natural botanicals lend a mild sweetness to the spirit.  You must be the final arbiter when it comes to the addition of sugar.

Serving our Absinthe Verte