Absinthe. Its the hot thing in the liquor market right now. It seems like every company is rushing to get an absinthe to market as soon as they can. Personally, while I really enjoy St. George and Trillium absinthes, I've found that a number of the early absinthes getting into the market lack balance and that certain sense of elegance that separates the great absinthes from the also rans.
I recently received a bottle of Mata Hari Bohemian absinthe for review. Its an Austrian absinthe, apparently distilled from the original recipe from the 1800s. Its definitely got a pronounced herbal flavor profile, something I much prefer over absinthes with a more anise forward profile. Mata Hari uses Grand Wormwood and Salvia as the main flavoring components to provide the herbal notes in this absinthe, bringing a depth of flavor with an edge of bitterness. What is missing is Petite Wormwood, which has a more subtle flavor, but reduces the bitterness of Grand Wormwood and provides a haunting quality found in the very best absinthes. From what I've been hearing recently, almost the entire crop of petite wormwood in Europe is sold to vermouth producers under long term contracts. I'd be very curious to see if Mata Hari adds petite wormwood into their formulation in the future if the European market opens up in the next few years.
As it is, Mata Hari comes in at 120 proof, but I notice the alcoholic burn more than I do with a similar absinthe with the same proof, Trillium. When I tried Mata Hari as a traditional absinthe preparation, using 1 oz of absinthe, 1 sugar cube and about 4 oz of water, I found it a bit austere for my tastes. It louched slightly in the glass, but once the cube had dissolved on the spoon it was perhaps the prettiest glass of absinthe that I've ever laid eyes on, truly the Green Fairy. I actually added some simple syrup to the drink to sweeten it a little bit to my taste and I really enjoyed the drink quite a bit more. This is an absinthe that calls for a bit more sugar than a typical preparation, but finding the right balance with this absinthe was worth the effort. Mata Hari has a long finish, 10 minutes or more, and the extra sugar was necessary to push past the bitterness to bring the complex underlying flavors out.
Mata Hari shines brightly in one of my favorite cocktails. I found that the dryness and herbal tones of Mata Hari absinthe complement a sazerac cocktail perfectly. In fact, I think Mata Hari absinthe is probably best used as a component in cocktails. When I added it to my usual sazerac recipe (Sazerac rye, 4 dashes of Peychauds, 1 dash of Angostura, a splash of simple and a lemon twist), the Mata Hari added a depth to the cocktail that anise forward absinthes just can't achieve.
Overall, I'm glad to see more absinthes come to the market. Mata Hari is an interesting product, one that I like, especially for my sazeracs. In fact, I think I might have one right now.
10 comments:
I've heard of Mata Hari, but the only absinthe i have tried is Le TOurment Vert...it was good. I suggest that if you're an absinthe fan!
Where can i get some le tourment? ive been looking i heard its the best in the state
it is in the states! ive seen paris hilton drinking it
Yeah paris was getting loaded off LTV...but its supposed to be the most authentic absinthe.
So...is this the nw thing?
I guess it is the new thing. I know the Edison Bar in Los Angeles serves absinthe. So if you're in the area, it's a great place to get some drinks.
ill see you there tomorrow night, if you will be there
No its not the "New thing"... It is the much awaited/anticipated return of an alchohol that was outlawed by the government for almost 100 years. It has been available on a pseudo shadow market for the last 15-20 if you knew how to order and didn't mind paying through the nose for international delivery and courier drop off.
Chances are Paris has had it before in Europe... so don't be hatin'. LOL...
Le Tourment Vert is no where near the most authentic. In actuality it is the most americanized version because it tastes like pure sugar. The best absinthes are still unavailable in the States and I have not tried this new one, but I am extremely disappointed with everything else that I have tried thus far. I still prefer to order my absinthe from overseas, yes it is more expensive but if you want real absinthe it is the only option. Maybe this new Mata stuff is good...I will have to check it out.
I have cheap diablo 3 Gold been aware of Mata Hari, but the simply absintheD3 Gold i've attempted is The TOurment Vert...it turned out good. I propose D3 ITEms that when you are a great absinthe lover!
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