Absinthe around the world, thanks to Wikipedia

[Habu]

He's not selling it. He's not the source where this Boggys label is from.

[Tits]

1909

1911

1938

First, I have posted in the wrong thread, so please remove it from there.

[Absinthe is Benjamin]

Boggy, can you post or PM me a link on what you want removed? Of course supermod Habu has the power to do it as well now.

[Tits]

I have been suggested by the same beginning of the thread title "Absinthe around the world", it is that post that has been doubled: http://absinthe-review.net/forums/showth...86#pid6786

[Oxygenee]

(12-01-2009 11:25 AM)Tits Wrote:  Found it yesterday:



Further investigation proves beyond any doubt that the producer, so Archleb Josef (25.6.1843 Dobruška - 19.11.1913 Dobruška) was a very famous Artist back in a day of Czech Republic and won several awards for his products in Paris in the years 1867-1877. In Czech Republic he was more popular because of the following brands: "Hawaii Rum" and "Jamaica Rum".

The label says a lot indicating the product was wine-based, distilled and Suisse.

Your thoughts? I have found some more tidbits regarding absinthe in general, but the time for showing them has not come yet...

I think everyone accepts that a spirit called "absinthe" was made in many countries during the 1890's and early 1900's. We have verified bottles from as far afield as Mexico. It would also be true to say that gin, rum, flavoured liqueurs etc etc were also made in all these countries. This is how most distillers in most countries stayed in business: making cheap versions of popular drinks for the local market. It's also true that absinthe was drunk in many countries, probably in pretty much every country during this period, almost always by French expatriates, Francophiles in general, or those who wished for whatever reason to pay homage to France - often artists, writers and those of a bohemian bent. Absinthe, in other words, was the unfiltered Gauloises cigarette of the era.

Switzerland of course had a strong, vibrant and independent absinthe culture, quite different from France. In Switzerland absinthe was associated not with fashion or the bohemian life, but with the traditional Swiss values of liberty and independence.

In a few other locations: New Orleans, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, northern Italy, absinthe became sufficiently popular to put down local roots, and become part of the local culture, although always in a strongly Francophile context. It's noticeable that in these areas imported French absinthe was extremely popular - the more serious people were about the drink, the more they appreciated the quality of the French original. In Buenos Aires it became so popular that Berger opened a distillery to produce it locally.

With the exception of this Berger distillery, we have no evidence at all of the production of true absinthe suisse anywhere outside France and Switzerland during the 1890's and early 1900's, although after the ban it was produced in Spain for several decades and probably for a time in Portugal as well.

I haven't seen nearly sufficient evidence that would lead me to believe that Prague or anywhere else in Eastern Europe fell into the same category as New Orleans or Buenos Aires. Absinthe drinking in Prague seems to fall into the same category as absinthe drinking in London: a minority activity by the artistic elite, carried out in a limited number of cafes, in conscious imitation of French mores. It's certainly of historical interest, but just as it would be absurd to talk about an English absinthe tradition, it's equally absurd to talk about a Czech one. The constant efforts to talk this up are, at root, commercially driven by the Czech producer community, who seek to legitimize their largely inauthentic style of absinthe with the cloak of history. Others, like Absinthist, seem driven to climb on this bandwagon by what can only be described as nationalistic chippyness.

As for this specific label, the first thing that leaps out is that the words "Extrait d'Absinthe" in the middle have been crudely inserted, they are completely out of keeping with the rest of the label. Either this is a poorly Photoshopped modern fake, or, if it is in fact a 1900 era label it likely indicates quite the opposite of what Absinthist indicates: that this was a fake, ersatz product, with a ripped off label based on a generic French template. I very much doubt by the way that there was even a SINGLE cheap essence-based absinthe in this era that DIDN'T use the Swiss Cross.

[Habu]

I have to agree with Oxy pretty much. Finding an evidence of a czech-swiss absinthe around that era is a real pain in the ass. However on the 12th of February we will have our czechoslovak absinthe gathering with the representative of Oliva absinthe, so maybe we'll have some more info about the history of Oliva absinthe... if any.

[Tits]

Ask them about Gessler catalogues, maybe they have some evidence for what had been offered in them and for how long.

The interesting thing comes from Bielsko catalogue of 1938, unlike in the Czech version from the same year, no "szwajcarski absynt" is listed here what leads us to believe in that period no one in Poland would have been interested therein. On that account, I agree with David about absinthe being a short-lived phenomenon which covered the other parts of Europe, going East, brought there by various freshly come-back from Paris, etc artists of any kind.

However, I would not doubt the quality assuming the jet-set of distilleries offering it either as their own (what might be the case of Archleb and Sigfried) or the imported brand (Pernod fils in case of Baczewski, lesser brands in case of M. Patschke Liqueur Distillery, Warsaw). Of course, those who were making their own might have been following the same standard as with various benedictine, chartreuse clones scattered all over Europe and far beyond, but knowing the objectives in the game, they would be as well making the real deal.

Hopefully, the Oliva people will shed more light on yellow-stained pages of spirits industry of the heyday.

[Absinthe is Benjamin]

Interesting developments, this certainly adds some context. If the Oliva reps can share even small pieces to the puzzle it will be a little more of the mystery solved.

But Oxy did issue an important warning in that this information must be utilized carefully to avoid exploitation.

[Tits]

1897, Kapelusz Brothers, Stare Brody:
(self-explanatory)

[Tits]

Just some papers, but interesting (to those that should be interested therein).

1) Baczewski portfolio of 1930. Excerpt about the xit they owned and how much they could cook, etc.



2) Potocki in Łańcut was the worldwide finest producer of rosoglios-no doubt about it. Little is known yet about that particular rosoglio I have underlined-any ideas? My theory would be buying someone else's absinthe and transforming it into rosoglio since none of Potocki's portfolios (the one here is from 1897) list absinthe or "absynth" as such. I have underlined the oldest anise spirit, so Kontuszówka and obviously, Piołunówka I had no idea Potocki had been making.

[Tits]

Found it finally: