Clandestine Absinthe is bootleg Absinthe that has been distributed on the Black Market during the time of Absinthe prohibition.
Absinthe was restricted and made illegal in France, Switzerland and lots of other countries in th early 1900s after being a popular liquor since its creation in the turn of the 19th century.
Absinthe have been especially popular with the Bohemian art set in the Montmartre area of Paris. Artists and writers including Van Gogh, Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway have been all devotees of the Green Fairy, as Absinthe is commonly known.
Anti-alcohol campaigners did start to paint a negative picture of Absinthe throughout the late nineteenth century and early 20th century, blaming it for France’s growing issues with alcoholism and declaring that the chemical substance thujone (from wormwood) was psychoactive and was having psychedelic consequences. Many stated that if Absinthe was not banned then France would be a nation of mad, insane people www.absinthekit.com/articles. Absinthe was even blamed for an alcoholic murdering his family regardless that he had been drinking other spirits following the Absinthe. Absinthe was restricted and prohibition began.
Clandestine Absinthe in Switzerland
During prohibition, there was obviously still an industry for Absinthe and in Switzerland bootleg distillers still created and sold Absinthe. Switzerland was the home of Absinthe. It’s claimed that Absinthe was developed by a doctor, Pierre Ordinaire, as a tonic for his patients in 1789 in the Swiss town of Couvet within the Val de Travers, the Swiss Jura. In time, Couvet took over as the Swiss capital of Absinthe manufacturing and was obviously badly troubled by prohibition. One distiller, Claude-Alain Bugnon, is claimed to have went on distilling Absinthe and distilled it with a recipe of another bootleg distiller Charlotte Vaucher. The Val de Travers was popular for its wonderful bootleg Absinthe.
Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s but legalisation in Switzerland didn’t take place until 2005. Claude-Alain Bugnon immediately applied for a license to sell Absinthe and was the first distiller to be awarded a license for Absinthe production in Switzerland.
Claude-Alain Bugnon’s firm, Artemisia-Bugnon distilleries now produce various sorts of Absinthe:-
– The renowned La Clandestine Originale – This Absinthe is an award winning premium La Bleue, 53% ABV (alcohol by volume). It’s a clear Absinthe inside a blue bottle and several people point out that it got its name from the blue reflections seen when the Absinthe louches.
– La Capricieuse – This Absinthe was made to meet the flavour for pre-prohibition stronger Absinthe and it has an ABV of 72%.
– Recette Marianne – This Absinthe was produced to be sold to the French market that has strict Fenchone rules and does not allow bottles labeled Absinthe to be distributed. Fenchone is the essential oil of fennel and is also considered to be psychoactive. This liquor is 55% ABV and won the esteemed Golden Spoon Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
– La Clandestine Originale Alcool du Vin – A distillation of La Clandestine Originale utilizing a wine base.
– Angelique Verte Suisse – Produced for individuals who want their Absinthe to be slightly more bitter and also to possess the traditional green color. The stunning label on this bottle is just like antique labels depicting the Green Fairy.
The Artemisia-Bugnon makes use of herbs grown in your community like grande and petite Artemisia Absinthium (wormwood), hyssop and lemon balm to flavor its anise flavoured liquor bonuses. No man-made colors or additives are used and several talk about the Absinthes using a “bouquet” of Alpine meadows, of honey and flowers.
The Clandestine Absinthe of the Artemisia-Bugnon distillery can be obtained to buy on their internet store but if you intend to try your hand at making your own Absinthe that contains wormwood then you can certainly use the essences from AbsintheKit.com to produce your very own premium Absinthe.