Best Absinthe Award: The most important facts summarized
- ALANDIA Verte is a naturally green absinthe from France.
- The taste of this absinthe is well-balanced and smooth, with only slight bitterness.
- It was awarded the gold medal as best absinthe at the International Spirits Awards ISW 2023.
What exactly is the best Absinthe?
The question of what the best absinthe is cannot be answered entirely objectively. However, the quality of an absinthe always depends on its originality and authenticity. This means that the absinthe should come as close as possible to an original 19th-century absinthe, and ideally even be better than its predecessors. This is possible because today's high-quality standards, for example regarding the neutral alcohol used, allow for an even better quality of absinthe.
One of the best absinthes should, of course, use real, i.e., grand wormwood (artemisia absinthium) in its recipe. If this is not the case, you have a Pastis or Anise. Both spirits are also made from fennel and anise, but do not contain wormwood as part of the recipe. Similarly, some absinthe brands use a different type of wormwood, for example, only common mugwort (artemisia vulgaris). However, this variant does not contain thujone and is not comparable in taste to real wormwood.
Original Absinthe: Naturally green color
"Original" also means that the absinthe is naturally colored with herbs. No artificial colors may be used. The latter is often the case with inexpensive "supermarket absinthes," as artificial coloring is less complex and naturally cheaper. Artificially green-colored absinthes are color-stable, which means you can place the bottle in direct sunlight without the color fading. This is often a retail requirement to ensure a long shelf life. However, this process also means foregoing the additional flavor of the coloring herbs. And, of course, artificial colors in food should generally be avoided.
Naturally green absinthe can lose its color because sunlight is harmful to the chlorophyll. But it is important to know that this has no effect on the taste of absinthe. It is just a visually perceptible, natural process. The color changes to a brownish-green tone, which is also called "feuilles morte" in absinthe parlance: The color of a fallen autumn leaf. A brand designated as "best absinthe" should also be naturally green-colored because the coloring herbs give the distillate its final touch. Carefully selected, they give the absinthe a herbaceous, tart note that can only be achieved through the maceration of the coloring herbs. It is precisely this final accent that makes a real Verte.
Best French Absinthe: ALANDIA Verte
ALANDIA Verte is an absinthe from ALANDIA Spirits. Our goal was to create one of the best absinthes that embodies the fascinating world of absinthe as best as possible. This means that the recipe, production, and packaging of the absinthe should be as original as possible. We succeeded in this, as ALANDIA Verte won the gold medal at the International Spirits Awards ISW 2023.
The label of ALANDIA Verte is inspired by an old original: Absinthe R. Large from the 19th century. The historical design was used as a template and expanded with individual elements. At the top of the label, you can see two silver lions in a blue and red coat of arms. This emblem is the city crest of Fougerolles, the French city where ALANDIA Verte is distilled. Fougerolles was already known for producing high-quality absinthes during the heyday of absinthe. Together with Pontarlier, it was the "capital" of absinthe. Many distilleries were located here, one of them being the Devoille Distillery. It was founded in 1859 by Paul Devoille. After absinthe was legalized again in the European Union in the late 1990s, Devoille also began producing absinthe again. ALANDIA Verte is distilled in this traditional distillery.
On the ALANDIA Verte (and R. Large) label, a wormwood leaf can be seen in the background of the label. It indicates that ALANDIA Verte's recipe focuses on the eponymous herb artemisia absinthium (grand wormwood). The Devoille Distillery has its own wormwood fields and cultivates the wormwood as in old times. Traditionally, the meter-high wormwood plants are harvested by hand every summer and dried in a "Séchoir," a specially ventilated wooden hut. The mild climate of Fougerolles and the love of craftsmanship guarantee a particularly aromatic quality of the herbs, making ALANDIA Verte a particularly aromatic absinthe.
ALANDIA Verte: Scent, Color, Louche, Mouthfeel, Taste
When evaluating an absinthe, one should first smell the open bottle and look closely at the color of the absinthe in the absinthe glass. When opened, ALANDIA Verte emits a fresh, herbaceous aroma with sweet anise notes. There are no sharp notes of alcohol present (although the absinthe contains 65% vol. alcohol). The green tones are bright and clear and magically reflect the room's light. As soon as ice-cold water is added, ALANDIA Verte clouds into a dense, opalescent white with shimmering green reflections.
