Pernod Absinthe Recette Traditionnelle French Absinthe 70 cl 68%

Pernod is the name that set absinthe's golden age in motion in 1805, long before the ban shut the whole category down for decades. Recette Traditionnelle is an attempt to bring the original recipe back – herbs from the Pontarlier region and a strength that hasn't been cut down for modern taste.

Expert's Description

Pernod Absinthe Recette Traditionnelle Fransk Absint 70 cl 68% is a French Absinthe distilled on wormwood and bottled at 68%.

Henri-Louis Pernod founded his distillery in 1805 and became one of the names that defined absinthe's golden age in France over the following century. Recette Traditionnelle builds on his original 19th-century recipe and uses wormwood from the Pontarlier region, the area in eastern France that was historically the centre of the country's absinthe production.

Where many modern absinthes have been cut down in strength to be more approachable, Recette Traditionnelle holds on to a classic, high strength of 68%. The flavour is dry and lightly bitter, with a herbal, woody character from the wormwood, carried by coriander and anise rather than sweetness.

The colour is a clear, pale green that turns into a hazy cloud once ice water is added following the classic ritual. Sugar is recommended to balance the dry, bitter character, which is more pronounced here than in many newer absinthes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Grassy and floral, with violet blossom, fennel, coriander and aniseed. With water, anise and fennel come through more clearly while the floral notes recede a little.

Palate

Dry and lightly bitter, with a woody herbal character from the wormwood. Coriander and anise lift the flavour, especially once water is added.

Finish

Long, lightly bitter and woody-herbal, with a dry close that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Pernod Absinthe Recette Traditionnelle Fransk Absint 70 cl 68%
Producer: Pernod
Region/Country: France
Type: French Absinthe
ABV: 68%
Size: 70 CL
Botanicals: Wormwood, anise, fennel and coriander
EAN no.: 3047100052161
Serving suggestion: Ice water poured slowly over a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon

Flavour Profile

Herbal · Dry · Anise · Spiced · Classic

Did You Know?

Henri-Louis Pernod founded his distillery in 1805, and the Pernod name later became so closely tied to absinthe that for many French people in the 1800s it was practically synonymous with the drink itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pernod Absinthe Recette Traditionnelle Fransk Absint 70 cl 68%

What does Pernod Absinthe Recette Traditionnelle taste like?

Dry and lightly bitter, with a herbal, woody character from the wormwood alongside coriander, fennel and anise. It's less sweet than many modern absinthes and comes across as more classically French in style.

Is 68% a high strength for absinthe?

Yes, it sits at the classic, powerful end compared with many contemporary absinthes, which are often cut to 40-55% to be more approachable.

Should you use sugar?

It's recommended, since the flavour is more pronouncedly dry and bitter than in sweeter expressions. The sugar cube on the slotted spoon balances the wormwood's bitterness without drowning out the herbal character.

What's the story behind the name Pernod?

Henri-Louis Pernod founded his distillery in 1805 and became one of the most famous names in absinthe's golden age, before the ban in the early 1900s shut down production for decades.

Where does the wormwood come from?

From the Pontarlier region in eastern France, historically the centre of the country's absinthe production and home to several of the great absinthe houses of the 1800s.

Does it turn cloudy when you add water?

Yes, the clear, pale green colour turns into a hazy cloud following the classic ritual, where ice water is dripped slowly through a sugar cube on a slotted spoon.