St. George Absinthe Verte
Photo courtesy of St. George Spirits
Distiller Details
St. George Spirits
Alameda, CA, California
Website Facebook TwitterAwards & Recognition
- Gold Medal at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Price Range
Premium — $51–$100
Where to Buy
THL: What is it?
St. George Absinthe Verte is an absinthe with brandy as a base and added star anise, mint, wormwood, lemon balm, hyssop, meadowsweet, basil, fennel, tarragon, and stinging nettles.
THL: Why should you try it?
This fine-tuned recipe is a contemporary take on traditional absinthe flavors — at its core the absinthe tastes like herbal anise, but layered into its flavor are lemon and floral elements. Lance Winters had been making this absinthe for about 10 years before it became legalized. "[The absinthe] illustrates who we are," he says. "Not thinking it would ever be a commercial endeavor, we still threw a lot of energy at it."
THL: Who makes it?
Founded as an eau de vie distillery 30 years ago by Jörg Rupf (also of Hangar One fame), St. George Spirits was one of the first craft distilleries in the United States. Local Alameda, California ingredients comprise their Bontinavore Gin, Terroir Gin, and Dry Rye Gin. St. George was also one of the first distillers to make American absinthe — it was out the distillery door the first day that absinthe was legal in the United States, with news helicopters flying overhead. People used their sick days to get that very first bottle of absinthe.
THL: What does it taste like?
Creamy rose water
THL: How should you drink it?
The citrus zest in this absinthe makes for an excellent Corpse Reviver #2.
