Absinthe Vieux Pontarlier - 70 cl

All the flavours from the traditional Pontarlier Absinthe back in the modern era.

The Vieux Pontarlier is an historical absinthe carefully distilled in our old alambics (more than 100 years old) using regional wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), which is considered the most fragrant in the world, Provencal fennel seeds, green anise seeds and a variety of additional aromatic herbs and spices meticulously selected. Faithful to the tradition, no sugar of any kind was added, its intense and refreshing taste is obtained solely from the combination of plants and our master distiller's skills.

Its peridot green colour turns into opalescent clouds during the absinthe ritual where a slow drip of iced water is added from a carafe or fountain.
Its taste, subtle mix of bright anise, alpine herbs and wormwood with mentholated notes, makes the Vieux Pontarlier absinthe the refreshing and powerful drink par excellence.

The Vieux Pontarlier absinthe, also distributed in the USA by Tempus Fugit Spirits, is world widely acclaimed:

• June 2010 – The Spirit Journal: 130 Best Spirits in the World.

• The Spirit Journal's 13 Best Five Star Liqueurs and Absinthes Spirits for 2010: Top Absinthe (of only two which qualified).

• 2010 Ultimate Spirits Challenge: 92 points - Excellent/Strong Recommendation - Highest Scoring Absinthe.

• February 2010 - The Chap Magazine (UK): Top Tipple.

• June 2009 - The Spirit Journal: 5 Stars - Highest Recommendation - First absinthe to be rated the highest score.

• April 2009 - Gourmet Magazine: Top Pick.

• March 2009 - Santé Magazine for professional restaurants: Gold Star.

• 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Hors Concours.

• August 2008 - Esquire Magazine: Top Pick.

• 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Double Gold Medal + Best in Class.

“Les fils d’Emile Pernot” distillery was founded in 1890 in Pontarlier, France, by Emile Pernot. In 1910, the distillery produced approximately 450 hectolitres; that is not surprising, because in those days, the consumption of absinthe was making good progress.

When “Fee Verte” was banned in 1915, the distillery turned its production to other products such as those made from aniseed, fruit brandies or alcohol made from gentian.

In 2001 the small distillery started to reproduce absinthe with “Un Emile” from an old family recipe.

In 2005, the distillery was sold to François Thevenin, who has since developed the firm to add a touch of modernity.

A year later, at the end of 2006, François Thevenin bought the Klainguer distillery, also situated in Pontarlier, and formed the Pernot – Klainguer distillery.

- At first, savour the Vieux Pontarlier with half a piece of sugar. Then add more or less according to your taste.

- For one measure of absinthe (3cl), add 2 to 5 measure of fresh water.

Paul Pacult – The Spirit Journal (USA):

To my way of thinking these is but one absinthe worth drinking on a regular basis and it is Vieux Pontarlier 65. Of all the absinthes I‘ve evaluated, VP rises far above the crowd due mostly to its authentic herbaceous character and pleasing demeanor.

Chap Magazine (UK):

This historic spirit, distilled using locally grown wormwood, is considered one the finest in the world.
Colour: Jade, with a light yellow hue. Relatively quick to louche, with some lovely oily notes emerging in the glass.
Nose: Slightly meaty and savoury, with biscuit notes in its undiluted form. Fresh lime notes and definite aroma of anise entering with the addition of water.
Palate: Minty and menthol notes emerge first, followed by bold anise and mildly bitter, spicy and peppery undertone. Really superb mouth feel.
Overall: Well-balanced, with big, bold flavours.

Sbmac (USA): I like this one

Color: Lovely sparkling peridot. Natural looking. Color after louche is wonderful as well. Very inviting.
Aroma: Nice. Anise, wormwood and light spice. It filled the room and made me want to drink it!
Louche: Very nice louche...developing slowly and evenly with clear trails and nice colors. Smoky clouds billowed up, with a clear layer at the top.
Flavor: The anise is at the forefront here, wormwood is just a tad behind it. Not a lot of complex floral or herbal elements. A pleasant light spice, light mint and slight herbal edge. Creamier at lower dilutions, but acceptable at 5:1. I would have preferred it at 4:1 but for the heat and bite (these vanished at 5:1). A solid basic flavor profile that is a good bang for the buck.
Finish: Clean and quality elements. Just a bit of a harshness at lower ratios. The Wormwood is more present here. Finish fades to a nice fennel, pepper and citrus. It could have lingered more.... At 5:1 however, it lightened up enough to be a bit lighter and more powdery, with a light citrus at the end.
Overall: I'd buy this again and share it with friends as a good affordable absinthe and intro to French style vertes.

Color: 4/5 Louche: 5/5 Aroma: 4/5 Flavor: 4/5 Finish: 4/5 Overall: 4/5

Brian Robinson (USA): Another enjoyable verte

Color: A very nice, vibrant peridot green.
Louche: Great louche build. Completely louched by about 2:1. Deep, opalescent and vibrant with tints of green still showing through. Very nice.
Aroma: An appetizing blend of ansie sweetness with some earthiness and a bit of peppery spice.
Flavor: Quite sweet, even without sugar. A nice dose of white pepper spice at the back of the tongue. Nice wormwood, but I'd like it to be a tad bit more prominent.
Finish: I pick up the wormwood a bit more on the finish as it plays nicely with the anise. Some definite anethole numbing, with some warmth going down the throat.
Overall: Quite enjoyable! Definitely a keeper. A smart buy for anyone looking for a traditional absinthe profile.

Color: 4/5 Louche: 5/5 Aroma: 4/5 Flavor: 4/5 Finish: 3/5 Overall: 4/5

Khiddy (USA):

Color: In the glass, amazingly bright and clear, having a gem-like quality.
Louche: It louches up nicely, keeping a tinge of green that is quite attractive. The louche builds from the bottom, with a layer of green at the top of the glass. Though it's thick enough at 2:1, I usually use a 3.5 or 4:1 ratio to open it up even more, and to provide an additional few sips per glass. It doesn't fall apart at higher water: dose ratios, either. I've had it unsugared, but I prefer it with because I think it thickens up the mouthfeel in a very positive way, without being too cloying.
Aroma: Delightful, sweetness accompanied by a bit of wormwood and a detectable anise/fennel.
Flavor: The first sip gives a butterscotch richness, with the middle and back of the tongue sensing the slight bitter & dryness of wormwood. The anise flavor is present, if light.
Finish: Refreshingly cool, minty and bitter at the same time. A slight amount of tongue-drying accompanies the finish, but not as much as in some other wormwood-forward absinthes.
Overall: I love this product. At the price it's an amazing value, cheap enough to be a daily drinker. I keep one bottle open and one in reserve because I know I'm going to be going back day in and day out.

Color: 5/5 Louche: 4/5 Aroma: 4/5 Flavor: 4/5 Finish: 4/5 Overall: 5/5

• Capacity :
• Alcohol Content :
• Production Method :
• Anise taste :
• Color :
• Country of Origin :
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• 70 cl
• 65°
• Distillation
• Yes
• Green
• France
• Pontarlier
• Emile Pernot
• Natural cork
• Natural