The Art of Fine Absinthe Crafting
From the famed Combier distillery, recognized as a historical landmark in Saumur, France, Jade Liqueurs® brings forth its globally acclaimed absinthes and artisanal liqueurs.
The absinthes produced by Jade Liqueurs® are uniquely crafted using only the original equipment and methods employed by the artisans of the past, without compromises or shortcuts. These absinthes are carefully constructed using the full compliment of selected herbs, including Artemisia absinthium (Grande Absinthe), and are absolutely authentic down to exacting details. To 'refine' or modernize our absinthes in the typical industrial fashion would be to negate their authenticity, which is unfair to the discriminating connoisseur, and equally unacceptable to us.
Upon savoring the bouquet and flavor of the absinthes offered by Jade Liqueurs®, the connoisseur is taken back to a time where artisanship and quality were honorable traditions. At Jade Liqueurs®, uncompromised historical accuracy and authenticity is our only recipe.
Botanicals
Unlike many industrial modern
'absinthes'
that litter the market presently, the absinthes of Jade Liqueurs®
are
distilled directly from select botanicals, and are
never
fabricated from assemblages, commercial flavorings, or synthetic dyes.
Of critical
importance to the production of historically authentic absinthes is the
type and quality of the botanicals employed. Plants vary widely in
quality
and essential oil characteristics depending on cultivation methods,
terroir, climate, and harvesting techniques. Most herbs in commerce
today (even those marketed as "organic") are unacceptable for our
purposes. Jade Liqueurs® employs rigorous scrutiny and
quality control
methods in selecting only the most fragrant plants of the correct
original variety, regional origin, and essential oil characteristics.
Our attention to these details raises our materials costs
substantially, but the difference in quality speaks for itself. In
fact, our standards are so demanding that the availability of our
absinthes is always limited by the availability of suitable botanicals.
Spirits
While modern absinthes are almost always made using inexpensive alcohols, Jade Liqueurs utilizes only the most historically correct base spirits to create its vintage-style absinthes. The most renowned original absinthes were crafted using a specific class of spirits derived from certain wine producing regions of France, and were oftentimes transported by rail over a considerable distance from the vineyards to the distilleries. Unfortunately however, the few wine spirits in commerce today tend to differ substantially in construction and content from the spirits in commerce in the 19th century, and are therefore unacceptable to us. The absinthes offered by Jade Liqueurs® are crafted only with spirits prepared from a proprietary French eau de vie that adheres strictly to our specifications, and are derived only from specific grape varietals and terroir. Our selectivity with respect to spirits raises our costs dramatically, but the use of anything less would compromise the historical accuracy and supple nature of the Jade absinthes.
Distillation
The delicate process of fine absinthe
distillation demands considerable knowledge, expertise, and attention
to detail. For various reasons that are not obvious to the casual
enthusiast, a historically accurate absinthe cannot be realistically
recreated from a paragraph or two of 'recipes' or other generic
information lifted from literature, the Internet, or
otherwise. The absinthes offered by Jade Liqueurs® are
uniquely derived
from actual full, sealed bottles of the finest original absinthes, and
represent the results of a decade of careful analyses.
Jade Liqueurs'® absinthes are crafted entirely by hand,
and enjoy the
unique privilege of being distilled in original 1,150L copper bain
marie alembics that were
acquired a century ago from what was perhaps the most famous original
absinthe
distillery in Pontarlier,
France.
These beautiful antique
absinthe
stills are quite a prize, having been purpose built entirely by hand
circa 1870s, and feature full hydro-rectification to ensure an
incomparably smooth product. These fabulous icons of the absinthe era
have been returned to their full glory, producing the finest absinthes
today just as they did during the 19th century.
In the spirit of the finest originals, Jade Liqueurs'® absinthes are never adulterated with sugar, commercial flavorings, non-traditional herbs, or chemical dyes. The authentic, natural tint of the Jade absinthes is derived solely from a traditional, delicate process that is conducted entirely by hand, using only original materials and methods. This expensive step is the only way to obtain the correct tint and final flavoring, and perfecting this antique process on the required scale is no small feat.
Bottling
The absinthes crafted by Jade Liqueurs® are never packaged in cheap, screw-cap bottles. Following a settling period that averages at least three years, the Jade absinthes are properly bottled and corked by hand in quality heavy glass. Like a fine wine, age brings to these fine absinthes a certain mellowing and marrying of flavors that can only be achieved through the passage of time. Fine absinthe, like fine wine, deserves to be bottled and stored properly. The delicate natural coloring of these absinthes must be bottled in dark green glass in order to preserve the delicate natural color from oxidation. Each bottle is encapsulated by hand in the traditional wax, and each receives the Jade Liqueurs seal of authenticity.