Germain Robin Absinthe Superieure

Absinthe has been a European tradition for a number of centuries. Just how it was discovered has been lost but it has its origins in ancient alchemy. The idea of putting herbs in a still with spirits and distilling it probably goes back to the Bronze Age. The process was once used for many types of medicines. 45.15% ABV Gin and Absinthe are made in basically the same way. Spirits are obtained from a particular source. Fruit and grain are generally used. Fruit sources are considered superior for spirits for Absinthe. I have seen one recipe that recommends using Zinfandel wine for the base eau-de-vie. A century ago in France and Switzerland the makers of Absinthe were so hard pressed to keep up with the demand; they would use tubers roots and tomatoes to make alcohol for cheap Absinthe. This practice put quality aside. Soon they were adding cupric salts for color and some would add laudanum and many other options for color and flavor that were not ever in Absinthe before.