What is Absinthe?

Absinthe or Absynthe is a high proof alcoholic beverage. Brands have an alcohol percentage of 45% up to 90% by vol. (90 - 180 proof). Some people are always shocked about the high percentage of the green spirit, but actually, as you blend the alcohol with cold water, a prepared glass of Absinthe contains approximately 14% alcohol percentage by vol. (28 proof), not more than a good red wine. Also, vintage Absinthes ilke the legendary Pernod Fils had an alcohol content of 65-68 percent. This high alcohol percentage is necessary, as only in such a high-proof spirit is the natural green color of the Green Fairy preserved.

How much alcohol has the beverage Absinthe?

The common alcohol percentage is 68% alc. vol / 136 proof. But there are stronger and weaker Absinthe alcohol brands on the market. The black Absinthe Hamlet Hardcore has for example 69% / 138 proof. The alcohol content has, as well, an influence on the way people prepare it. Especially beginners want to set their Absinthe on fire. This ritual is also known as the Czech Fire-Ritual. You soak a sugar cube with the Green fairy and burn the sugar on the spoon. The cube only catches fire if you have a liquor with at least 60 percent / 120 proof. But, and this is very important, we do NOT recommend the fire ritual, as it pushes the drug-like image of Absinthe. We, like many other Absintheurs, think that Absinthe is a sophisticated drink with a lot of culture and style. You should drink it like it was drunk 100 years ago, without fire. Check out our Absinthe ritual video section in our store. You will see in the video of the fire ritual another argument why you shouldn't burn your Absinthe, it is very dangerous! We recommend drinking your glass of the Green Fairy the traditional way: This means only with ice-cold water and a sugar cube on the Absinthe spoon. For the ice water, you can either use a water carafe or an Absinthe Fountain.

The amount of alcohol in a spirit is often regarded as something special and adventurous. And as Absinthe is a special drink, you also find Absinthe on the market that has a very special alcohol degree. Mansinthe for example, the beverage brand from the artist Marilyn Manson has 66.6% alcohol by vol. Guess why...? And the black and green Absinthes Hamlet Hardcore are really strong Absinthe liquors. The versions we sell have 69 to up to 80 percent alcohol. These liquors are a real weapon. Another pretty strong Absinthe with 66.6% / 133.2 proof is Gothica Absinthe. Drink all of them responsibly!

Is the effect caused by the alcohol percentage?

Absinthe has a different effect in comparison to regular alcohol like beer, wine, or even vodka. This is because of the high alcohol content of the Green Fairy. The famous herb that gave Absinthe its name is wormwood, lat. artemisia absinthium. And the essential oil of the wormwood plant contains thujone. It is often said, that this ingredient can cause hallucinations. This is untrue! Thujone is toxic, yes, but only in very, very high doses. Absinthe is therefore not a hallucinogenic drug, that's why it was legalized again! And no, preban Absinthe from the 19th century did not have more thujone.

Which percentage of alcohol is the best for an Absinthe brand?

Traditionally, the green spirit was bottled at an alcohol percentage of 68% (138 proof). This Absinthe alcohol content sounds a lot, but have in mind that you drink the Green Fairy never as a shot. You always mix the liquor with ice-cold water (the traditional French ritual of serving a glass of the Green Fairy). Then, after blending the spirit, the percentage of the beverage is much lower. You can compare the percentage with a glass of wine. Therefore, an Absinthe should neither have a very low percentage. This would result in a drink, that tastes quite watered-down. The best Absinthe alcohol percentage is therefore between 65 and 72 percent. More is not needed, and below this percentage the drink just does not taste good.

Where can I buy Absinthe online?

Firstly, drinking and buying a bottle of Absinthe online is legal. You can easily purchase real Absinthe at our online store ALANDIA (xcept US customers, unfortunately). If you want to know more about buying Absinthe in the USA, check out our specific info site: Absinthe USA.

ALANDIA was founded in 2001 and is run by a group of devoted Absintheurs. ALANDIA is based in Germany, but serves Absintheurs worldwide. Back in 2001, when we established the company, the beverage Absinthe was just re-legalized in the European Union. And at the beginning there did not exist proper distribution for this special beverage. It was hard to get good quality Absinthe at all. We at ALANDIA therefore quickly decided to produce Absinthe by ourselves, meaning that we cooperated with traditional distilleries in France to produce real Absinthe: Absinthe, how it was made and drunk in the 19th century. As time went by and through the support of Absintheurs around the world, ALANDIA quickly developed to the leading Absinthe online shop.

Nowadays ALANDIA sells more than 200 different alcoholic spirits, including the ALANDIA spirit line with brands like Strong68, Moulin Vert, République Vintage, Maison, ALANDIA, Hamlet and many more. Recently, ALANDIA has entered the Gin market with Six Ravens London Dry Gin with an alcohol percentage of 46% by. vol. We also expanded our market offer to Gin, the ALANDIA online store for Premium Gin is Gin-Kingdom. Check it out, you can buy premium Gin and exclusive Barware in the store. We ship as well to the USA (but only barware and accessories).