Character
The Story of American absinthe
With its intensely bitter freshness, absinthe cuts through a fragrance like a laser of green sharpness. This is the aroma of wormwood, the botanical that earned absinthe a notorious reputation and a devoted following in fin-de-siècle Paris.
Heritage
Swiss physician Pierre Ordinaire created the first absinthe recipe in the canton of Neuchâtel in the late 18th century. His herbal tincture, made from wormwood and other botanicals, was initially sold as a medicine. In 1805, Henri-Louis Pernod founded Pernod Fils in Pontarlier, France, introducing commercial absinthe production. The drink crossed into France around 1840 and rapidly became the beverage of Paris's artistic and literary circles. By the 1870s, absinthe dominated French nightlife, particularly under the moniker "la liqueur verte" for its characteristic green hue. Growing concern over alleged health effects led to bans across much of Europe and the United States. Modern EU regulations permit absinthe production but limit thujone content to 35 mg/kg, far below pre-ban levels. Today, the bitter complexity of wormwood finds renewed appreciation in perfumery as a bold aromatic anchor.
At a Glance
1
Feature this note
United States
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Steam distillation
Leaves and flowering tops
Did You Know
"Pierre Ordinaire created the original absinthe recipe in 1792, selling it as a cure-all tonic before it became the drink that mesmerized 19th-century Paris."