St. George Absinthe Verte Liqueur 200ml

St. George Spirits was founded in 1982 by Jorg Rupf in Alameda, California, initially as an eau de vie distillery, making it one of the oldest craft spirits producers in the US. Master distiller Lance Winters joined in 1996 and spent roughly a decade refining an absinthe recipe in anticipation of the spirit's eventual legalization. When the 1912 US ban on absinthe was lifted, St. George released Absinthe Verte, becoming the first legally produced American absinthe available since the ban and cementing the distillery's reputation for meticulous, ingredient driven craftsmanship.

Production begins with a fine brandy base macerated with classic absinthe botanicals, including wormwood, fennel, and star anise rather than the green anise typically used in European recipes, then run through copper pot stills. The resulting distillate undergoes a second infusion of fresh herbs, among them mint, tarragon, basil, lemon balm, hyssop, and stinging nettle, a step that both deepens the flavor and gives the spirit its vivid, entirely natural green color. It is bottled at a robust 120 proof, or 60 percent alcohol by volume.

The nose is bold and herbaceous, led by anise and fennel alongside fresh mint and citrus peel, with hyssop and lemon balm adding floral undertones. On the palate it delivers spicy black licorice that unfolds into grassy, citrus tinged complexity, with enough essential oil richness to feel viscous even at high proof. Traditionally served with a slow drip of ice water to build a proper louche, it also works well as a rinse or modifier in classic cocktails.