The herbs are gently distilled at a high alcoholic strength, capturing the essential aromas and oils that are in the very heart of our hand selected flowers and herbs. These herbs are grown and harvested in the fields of Spain, France, and Western Europe, and the unmistakable aromas of these peaceful European meadows are captured in every bottle of our Absinthe Verte.

Before the Absinthe Verte is bottled, it must undergo a coloring step.  Many commercial absinthes are colored artificially.  Ours is colored in the most traditional manner by placing our hand-selected coloring herbs, Hyssop, Melissa, and Roman Wormwood, in cheesecloth and steeping the blend in warmed Absinthe Verte.  These coloring herbs strengthen the floral aromas and citrusy undertones of the finished Absinthe Verte.  The high alcohol content of the Absinthe Verte leaches chlorophyll from the plant material, turning our Absinthe Verte into a wholly natural, vibrant green color that is similar to the gemstone, Peridot.  This unique hue is one of the reasons that French Impressionists of the Belle Époque took so strongly to traditionally prepared, handcrafted Absinthe Verte.

To help create an attractive and bold look for distinctive eye appeal and unique shelf prominence, it called upon Saxco International, Inc., of Horsham , PA , world-wide packaging specialist for the wine and spirits industry. “We were looking to create a package which was reflective of the culture and lifestyle of New Orleans and commensurate with the high quality of this unique spirit,” explains Andrew Auwerda, president of Philadelphia Distilling.

With that in mind, Saxco International supplied a 750 ml square flint bottle with a long neck from Saverglass in France, one of its reliable and quality vendors in its vast global resource network. The bottle was decorated by Quest, Inc., of Hillside , New Jersey , another Saxco resource. Quest handled the silk screening of an original floral wallpaper design on all four sides which is symbolic of the southern  city’s iron work in the French Quarter. The black Vieux Carre identification on the front also was applied by Quest. Philadelphia Distilling provided and applied the bottle’s green and black neck band and complementary square-top glass stopper.

According to Auwerda, “The spirits’ flavor and color is derived exclusively from 100% natural herbs. The flavor is simultaneously complex, mysterious and engaging and its deep olive color is reminiscent of a vintage jewel.” Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure is batch distilled using a traditional “double maceration” process featuring the mysterious grande wormwood and petite wormwood. Green and star anise, fennel, doux provence , melissa, genepi, hyssop and spearmint complete the complex flavor profile. “Vieux Carre is an original artisan spirit that comfortably blends historic processes with modern distilling technology,” Auwerda notes. “The warm, long and lingering finish is harmonious, sophisticated and subtle.” The spirit was specifically designed and distilled to work straight up or with other premium cocktail ingredients. Master Distiller Robert John Cassell continues to build on his career milestones  with his work on Vieux Carre.

Vieux Carre is being introduced first in the Pennsylvania and Kentucky markets and  soon will be rolled out in other eastern states before moving westward. The retail price  for a 750 ml bottle is $60. Philadelphia Distilling is located at 12285 McNulty Road., Suite 105 Philadelphia , PA , 19154 and can be reached at 215-671-0346.

“We are very gratified and excited about our role in helping Philadelphia Distilling to  bring Vieux Carre to the American marketplace,” states Herbert L. Sachs, president of Saxco  International. Sachs worked closely with Auwerda on the all-important packaging aspect of the  project.       

Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe was not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a spirit. Absinthe is unusual among spirits in that it is bottled at a very high proof but is normally diluted with water when drunk.

Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Due in part to its association with bohemian culture, absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists. Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, and Aleister Crowley were all notorious 'bad men' of that day who were (or were thought to be) devotees of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug. The chemical thujone, present in small quantities, was singled out and blamed for its alleged harmful effects. By 1915, absinthe had been banned in the United States and in most European countries except the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although absinthe was vilified, no evidence has shown it to be any more dangerous than ordinary spirit. Its psychoactive properties, apart from those of alcohol, have been much exaggerated.

A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s, when countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale. As of February 2008, nearly 200 brands of absinthe were being produced in a dozen countries, most notably in France, Switzerland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. Commercial distillation of absinthe in the United States resumed in 2007.