La Fee NV Absinthe French Absinthe 70 cl 40%

The green fairy does not have to knock anyone over. NV is the release where anise and fennel get to speak first, because the alcohol is not shouting over them. Same ritual with sugar and iced water, same green cast in the glass, simply in a lower gear.

The expert's description

La Fee NV Absinthe French Absinthe 70 cl 40% is a French Absinthe in the verte style distilled from wormwood, anise and fennel and bottled at 40%.

NV is the everyday bottle of the house. Where La Fée's Parisienne sits at 68% and is intended as a reconstruction of how absinthe tasted in the 19th century, NV is dialled down to 40% and built to be used. The recipe draws on the same herbal world with wormwood at its centre, but the strength is cut back so the bottle can join a drink without taking it over.

The number on the label changes more than you would expect. Alcohol is what holds the essential oils from the herbs in solution, and at 40% there is simply room for fewer of them. The louche therefore comes out lighter and more translucent than the dense cloud a full-strength absinthe produces, and less water is needed before the balance lands where it should.

That is also why NV ends up in a cocktail glass more often than an absinthe glass. Absinthe is used classically as a rinse for a Sazerac, where a few drops lay an anise trail beneath the rye whiskey, and as the base of a Death in the Afternoon topped with champagne. At 40% it is easier to measure without the anise running away with the drink.

Tasting notes

Nose

Anise out front, sweetish and clear, with fennel right behind. The wormwood is present but sits underneath rather than sticking out. No alcohol burn, so the glass can be held close without squinting.

Palate

Soft entry with a liquorice sweetness. Fennel and a green herbal streak through the middle, and only at the end does the wormwood bitterness draw a dry line through the sweet. With iced water it becomes genuinely easy drinking, and the sugar is far from necessary.

Finish

Short to medium. The anise fades calmly and leaves a faint bitterness on the palate. The mouth feels cool, but the lasting numbness of a full-strength absinthe never arrives.

Specifications

Name: La Fee NV Absinthe French Absinthe 70 cl 40%
Producer: La Fée Absinthe
Region/Country: France
Type: French Absinthe
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Botanicals: Wormwood, anise and fennel
EAN no.: 5033566034597
Serving suggestion: Iced water poured over a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon, or as an ingredient in cocktails

Flavour profile

Anise · Liquorice · Herbal · Soft · Fresh

Did you know?

Absinthe was banned in France in 1915 and vanished from French distilleries for close to a century. La Fée was the first traditional absinthe distilled on French soil again after the ban was lifted.

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Frequently asked questions about La Fee NV Absinthe French Absinthe 70 cl 40%

What separates NV from La Fée's Parisienne release?

The strength and the purpose. Parisienne is built as a historical reconstruction and bottled at 68%, while NV is brought down to 40% and made for everyday use and cocktails. The herbal world of wormwood, anise and fennel is shared, but NV is softer and far easier to approach for anyone who has never tasted absinthe.

Does it turn milky white when water goes in?

Yes, though the louche is lighter than with a full-strength absinthe. The effect happens because the anise oil drops out of solution as the alcohol strength falls, and at 40% there are fewer oils to drop out. The result is a hazy, greenish liquid rather than a dense white cloud.

Which cocktails does it work in?

The classics that use absinthe as a seasoning rather than a base. A Sazerac is rinsed with a few drops so the anise sits under the rye whiskey, and a Death in the Afternoon is absinthe topped with champagne. The lower strength makes it easier to judge the measure without the anise running off with the drink.

Is the sugar needed here?

Less often than with a strong absinthe. The wormwood bitterness is subdued in this release, so many people skip the sugar and simply add iced water. For the full ritual, the sugar cube still goes on the spoon across the glass.

Is 40% a sensible place to start with absinthe?

Yes, it is probably the gentlest way into the category. Anise and fennel step forward clearly without the alcohol burning, and you get to learn the flavour picture before moving on to a full-strength bottle. Still dilute with iced water, since absinthe is not meant to be drunk neat. If you already know that anise note from pastis or from a sweetened Liqueur, the jump is a short one.

What does verte mean?

Verte is French for green and covers the absinthes that carry a green colour, as opposed to a blanche, which is clear. Historically the colour came from herbs steeped in the spirit after distillation. Verte is the style most people associate with absinthe and with the nickname the green fairy.