This vintage Pernod Fils Absinthe comes from the Tarragona factory in Spain. After the ban of Absinthe in France in 1915 Pernod kept on producing Absinthe in this small city close to Barcelona. This was legally possible, as Absinthe was never forbidden in Spain. Due to decreasing demand they ceased production in the late 1960s but still kept on selling their stock. Therefore, you could find original Pernod Tarragona Absinthe till the early 1970s in Spain.
The bottle we offer for sale is from 1950-1960. An indicator is the label, it lists the name of the distiller J.M. Banus. He worked for Pernod from 1930-1960. Bottles from 1950-1960 show the typical Pernod glass stamp at the bottleneck, but the print is almost flat, not as thick as at bottles from the earlier days. The labels and sealing are in perfect condition with only minor damages. The Spanish tax seal is as well in perfect state. Overall, this Absinthe bottle is an absolute collector's item. Even if you do not decide to open the bottle, you have reserved yourself a unique piece of history. And bottles in such a good condition are definitely increasing in value. Original Absinthe is a very scarce good.
The history of Pernod Fils Absinthe
Pernod Fils was the most popular brand of Absinthe throughout the 19th century until the Green Fairy was banned in France in 1915. During the late 19th century, the Pernod Fils name became synonymous with Absinthe. The brand represented the standard of quality by which all other brands were judged. The beginning of this very special brand can be traced as far back as the 1790s. It was during this time in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, that Dr. Pierre Ordinaire created a distilled patent medicine that would represent the earliest origins of the Green Fairy.
The recipe then came into the hands of Henri Louis Pernod through the means of a business deal, and in 1797, he and Daniel Henri Dubied opened the first Absinthe distillery in Couvet, Switzerland. Now, they began to commercialize Dr. Ordinaires medicine to a world known spirit. Pernod later built a larger distillery in Pontarlier, France, in 1805. This set the stage that would cause the sleepy community of Pontarlier to eventually emerge as the home of twenty-eight commercial Absinthe distilleries, and the world's center of Absinthe production.
