Clandestine Absinthe is bootleg Absinthe that was distributed on the Black Market in the time of Absinthe prohibition.
Absinthe was prohibited and made illegal in France, Switzerland and plenty of other countries in th early 1900s after being a popular liquor since its creation on the turn of the 19th century.
Absinthe had been especially well-liked by the Bohemian art set in the Montmartre area of Paris. Artists and writers such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway have been all supporters of the Green Fairy, as Absinthe is normally known.
Anti-alcohol campaigners began to paint a negative picture of Absinthe in the late nineteenth century and early 20th century, blaming it for France’s growing problems with alcoholism and claiming that the chemical thujone (from wormwood) was psychoactive and was having psychedelic effects. Many stated that if Absinthe was not banned then France will be a nation of mad, insane people www.absinthekit.com/articles. Absinthe was even held responsible for an alcoholic murdering his family despite the fact that he had been drinking other spirits right after the Absinthe. Absinthe was banned and prohibition began.
Clandestine Absinthe in Switzerland
During prohibition, there was clearly obviously still a market for Absinthe and in Switzerland bootleg distillers still created and sold Absinthe. Switzerland was the home of Absinthe. It is claimed that Absinthe was made by a doctor, Pierre Ordinaire, as being a tonic for his patients in 1789 in the Swiss area of Couvet in the Val de Travers, the Swiss Jura. In time, Couvet became the Swiss capital of Absinthe production and was obviously badly impacted by prohibition. One distiller, Claude-Alain Bugnon, is said to have persisted distilling Absinthe and distilled it with a recipe of another bootleg distiller Charlotte Vaucher. The Val de Travers was well known for its fantastic bootleg Absinthe.
Absinthe was legalized in lots of countries in the 1990s but legalisation in Switzerland did not occur until 2005. Claude-Alain Bugnon immediately applied for a license to sell Absinthe and was the first distiller to generally be granted a license for Absinthe creation in Switzerland.
Claude-Alain Bugnon’s organization, Artemisia-Bugnon distilleries now produce various sorts of Absinthe:-
– The famous La Clandestine Originale – This Absinthe is an excellent premium La Bleue, 53% ABV (alcohol by volume). It’s actually a clear Absinthe in a blue bottle and several people say that it got its name from the blue reflections seen once the Absinthe louches.
– La Capricieuse – This Absinthe was developed to meet the flavors for pre-prohibition stronger Absinthe and it has an ABV of 72%.
– Recette Marianne – This Absinthe was developed to be distributed to the French market which has strict Fenchone laws and does not allow bottles labeled Absinthe to be marketed. Fenchone is the essential oil of fennel and it is regarded as psychoactive. This liquor is 55% ABV and won the esteemed Golden Spoon Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
– La Clandestine Originale Alcool du Vin – A distillation of La Clandestine Originale using a wine base.
– Angelique Verte Suisse – Produced for people who want their Absinthe to be a little more bitter also to possess the traditional green color. The beautiful label on this bottle is the same as antique labels depicting the Green Fairy.
The Artemisia-Bugnon uses herbs grown in your community like grande and petite Artemisia Absinthium (wormwood), hyssop and lemon balm to flavor its anise flavored liquor read full report. No artificial colors or additives are employed and several discuss about the Absinthes using a “bouquet” of Alpine meadows, of honey and flowers.
The Clandestine Absinthe of the Artemisia-Bugnon distillery can be obtained to buy on their online shop but if you would like to try your hand at creating your own personal Absinthe containing wormwood then you can use the essences from AbsintheKit.com to make your very own premium Absinthe.