Absinthe: How to successfully ship to Ireland.

L1011 wrote: »

The customs seizure was for it being alcohol at all - you are not allowed privately import and the seller needs to clear duty in advance. Seeing as you can make poitin here to mid 90s (under the name regulations) I don't see abv% being a problem

But why is it available to buy online then and why do other countries not have these problems, there must be a legit way for purchasing spirits online and having it delivered to your door. There is also the ruling that one can import for personal consumption, where is there a mention of a licence there or authorisation to purchase.

Mesrine65 wrote: »

http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/hapsburg-premium-reserve?search=absinthe

http://www.drinkstore.ie/LA-FEE-X%2AS-ABSINTHE-FRANCAISE-5033566039103/

https://www.obrienswine.ie/spirits/spirits/liquer-cream/absinthe-la-fee-parisienne-70cl.html

I am infuriated that O'Briens Wine in Galway has no absinthe in stock, I reminded them that they have three advertised on their website and sent off an angry email to them to remedy the situation.

Zaph wrote: »

Why should they? Just because they have something advertised on their website doesn't mean that every branch will stock every product. The website is there to give you the opportunity to buy online from them. From experience, a lot of their stores aren't huge and there's no way they could stock everything they have online. I'm sure I could go through the list of beers on their website and find quite a few that neither of my two nearest O'Brien's stock. Personally I think you've overreacted somewhat and I would be very surprised if they suddenly started stocking absinthe because they've received an angry e-mail.

In fairness if they advertise it, they should at least have one of the brands in their stores.

Zaph wrote: »

They do have it in one of their stores, their online store. They're not advertising that they have absinthe in their stores, they're merely stating that they do have it available online. Why not buy it online from them?

Just did in the end, opted for the la Fee Parisienne at 60 Euros, the same one is going for 90.99 Euros in the Celtic Whiskey Shop, which is nuts its 31 Euros more.

Woo hoo I have a friend bringing me back a bottle tonight from a Spanish airport, I can't remember which one, Madrid or Barcelona, what is the absinthes available generally at these airports, is it mainly the green ones, he couldn't get Mari Mayans.

Some others I have tried over March.

Apsinthion - Polish Absinthe. A green or vert absinthe from a Swiss recipe but crafted in Poland, 55 % Vol, 50 CL bottle. I picked this up in Stirling Sainsbury's in Scotland for £18 pounds. It has a lovely aniseed taste much like Spanish absenta it gives a nice green creamy louche. I checked the Galway Tesco, Lidl's, Aldi's and none seem to have it in stock which is a pity, I've heard you can get it in some of the Dublin Tescoes. 6/10



Jade PF 1901 Absinthe Superieure. 68% Vol 70 CL glass bottle. This is the first proper French absinthe I have drunk and probably the most expensive I've splashed out for. The Jade line of absinthe concentrates on the Belle Epoque area of France. This one cost £68 pounds from the Royal Mile Whisky store in Edinburgh. The taste is bitter and robust with a blend of herbs, carob or chocolate smelling, fennel, coriander, wormwood strong but subtle in tone. The drink gives a beautiful creamy louche with water added and the creamy fragrance fills the room a beautiful after-taste and finish to this fine but pricey absinthe, but worth it if you want to find the real deal. 10/10



Teichenne Black Absinthe. 80% Vol 50 CL Bottle. Spanish absenta which is also the same as Jacques Senaux Black Absinthe. This is very liquorish and aniseed tasting with a strong alcohol bite, not really absinthe but a nice refreshing drink. Louches quite nicely turning a dark creamy purple with water added. 6/10 This was expensive from McCambridges in Galway at 51 Euros for one 50 CL bottle. I talked to one of the owners who said that they get it from the Celtic Whiskey Store in Dublin, the same bottle of Teichenne black absinthe is only 39 Euros from there.

Well bumping this again, a friend brought me back a bottle of Absinto (57% abv) from Portugal, it was alright but more alcoholic than a genuine absinthe 5/10, which has sent me in a quest to find some more again. Since my sojourn to Dublin in May 2016. The band I'm in, the singer got married in the start of June 2016 and we were invited to be the wedding band in London, so I made sure to visit an off licence called Soho Wines and picked up a bottle of Enigma, a blanch clear absinthe that was super strong at 74% abv, it louched to a beautiful opaque white and was wonderfully potent with a gorgeous after taste and a powerful aroma, I think I paid 63 Pounds for this one. 9/10

Absinto from Portugal


Jade 1901 (I tried this March 2016)


Enigma Blanche Absinthe.


Now I'm going over to Scotland for two weeks on the 21st so I have a few shops scouted out to pick up a few bottles, one of my own Christmas treats. I hoping to procure a bottle Pernod Absinthe Superieure which will cost 40 quid but cheaper than Ireland's 66 Euros (68% abv). I want to get a La Fee Blanche bottle (53%), another clear one made in France or maybe Grand Absente (69% abv) also French which has nice reviews rating it similar to the Spanish Mari Mayans.

Will report back after the New Year and I wish you all a jolly season.

Well I had a wonderful Xmas and New Year with the family and procured my Pernod absinthe at my sisters house and on the way there stopping of at the Drinkmonger in Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh to grab a 20 CL bottle of Jade Esprit Edouard absinthe and a bottle of Grand Absente from France also. My sister also went to Paris for the week and managed to pick me up another bottle of Grande Absente.



Pernod Absinthe Original Recipe 68% 70 CL. This drink was extremely nice, nice strong anise and bitter wormwood aroma, colour looks delightfully natural.

On adding water, louche develops pretty strongly and more herbs come to the fore of the aroma with the anise, star anise, fennel, hyssop and lemon and orange peel balm. A damn nice kick to this too at 68% ABV. Mouth feel is nice with the sweet herbs and anise coating the tongue (god how I missed this ). There is a nice satisfying finish with a sly dry bitterness but in a lovely way. Having not tried previous edition of Pernod absinthe I give this a 8/10.

The louche of Pernod Absinthe.



Grande Absente 69% 70 CL.

Grand Absente was similar to Pernod although its a oil and macerated mix rather than distilled absinthe. More pasties like than absinthe but a delightful refreshing drink. Bright green in colour with water added it gives a delightful enough louche and similar smelling but not as complex as Pernod although there is a lot of anise and sweet fruity herbs in the taste. It also has a vicious kick at 69% ABV. I can imagine this works great as a mixer or with three or four parts iced spring water and one part absinthe. A fairly satisfying finish to it but more a pasties style than a proper absinthe. a great starter one alright. 7/10.

Jade Esprit Edouard Absinthe 72% 20 CL.

Its a pity there wasn't more of this but this is an incredible absinthe, yellowish green maybe olive in colour the smell uncorked is of funky herbs, anise and subtle potent alcohol. Herbs anise, hyssop, fennel, coriander, subtle cinnamon , wormwood and many other delights.

Water added creates an amazing louche going from green to a bright cream green opalescence. The herb aroma explodes and fills the room, this is a powerful earth moving drink. Mouthfeel is incredibly thick and luscious and finish is a long lasting feeling. One of the very best up there with Jade PF 1901. 10/10.



Now at the back end of January I took a chance again buying absinthe overseas, opting for Alandia.de, an absinthe online site in Germany. I ordered a 50 CL bottle of Jade Blanchette 60% a week last Wednesday and it arrived through my door the following Monday was impressed with that and will post a review shortly, have ordered a litre bottle of Philip Lasala Spanish absinthe at 50% also from Alandia that got great reviews expected this Monday, its an oil and macerate mix but I need something to drink so I don't drink all the good stuff I have just now.