Dear friends,
The European Commission is due to be presented with a draft definition of absinthe, which after signing, will become the legal European definition for absinthe from June 1st, 2013. This is without doubt the most significant thing to happen in decades regarding the regulation of absinthe in Europe. This will have a wide ranging effect on what can and can’t be called absinthe on the European market today. This does not just affect the EU, but will have an effect worldwide in countries looking for an existing definition to to base their regulations own on, and for countries and individuals importing European absinthe.
The parts of the draft EU Commission Regulation concerning absinthe are reproduced below.
Parts referring to other spirits have been removed (shown by [...] )
(2) Absinth is a spirit drink traditionally produced in some Member States. It is obtained
by the maceration and/or distillation of the plant with the same name in ethyl alcohol
of agricultural origin. The marketing of products described as “absinth” is gradually
increasing in the Union. Consequently, the Member States producing this product have
requested the Commission to establish a definition for “absinth”. A new product
category “absinth” setting out such a definition should therefore be included in Annex
II to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008.
[...]
Article 1
Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 are amended as follows:
[...]
(c) the following point 25a is inserted:
“25a. Absinth
(a) Absinth is a spirit drink produced by flavouring ethyl alcohol of
agricultural origin or distillate of agricultural origin with absinth
wormwood (Artemisia absinthum L.) in combination with other plants as
Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.),
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), mint (Mentha spp.)
or with other plants provided that their taste is not predominant,
using the following processes or a combination thereof:
(i) maceration and/or distillation at less than 86% vol.;
(ii) re-distillation of alcohol containing grains or other parts of the
plants referred to in the introductory phrase of this point;
(iii) addition of natural distilled extracts of the plants referred to in the
introductory phrase of this point.
(b) The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of absinth shall be 40%.
(c) Absinth shall contain a quantity of thuyone (alpha and beta) between 5
milligrams per litre and 35 milligrams per litre.
(d) Absinth shall have a minimum anethole level of 0.5 gram per litre.
(e) Absinth may have a maximum sugar content of 50 grams per litre
expressed as invert sugar.
(f) Absinth shall not be coloured by other substances than those referred
to in point (a), except for:
– the food colours authorised on the basis of quantum satis, referred
to in Part I of Annex V to Directive 94/36/EC, and
– from 1 June 2013, the food colours authorised on the basis of
quantum satis, referred to in Group II in point 14.2.6. of Part E of
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European
Parliament and of the Council*.
* OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16.”
What does this mean for the absinthes available today?
The production methods detailed basically list the methods which are used at the moment. The parts which will have an impact follow on from there:
In terms of the amount of thujone that is allowed or required to be contained in an absinthe, this seems to be a quite controversial point: The minimum quantity of both alpha and beta thujone is 5mg/l, this means that many popular and respected absinthes on the market would no longer meet the legal definition of absinthe.
One positive aspect of this regulation is the minimum anethole level of 0.5 g/l, (anethole is the main component of the essential oil of anise), which means all drinks labelled absinthe will have to contain anise. As absinthe is without doubt an anise drink, this can only be a good thing.
On the colouration, permitted colours appear to include only those that are considered naturally derived, such as carotenes (found in carrots), anthocyanins (found in things like blackcurrants), caramel colour, beetroot red, etc… If this is correct, this will affect mainly the more novelty side of the absinthe market. Whether the producers marketing artificially coloured and flavoured products with no anise will start to make more natural offerings, or rebrand to something else, remains to be seen.
What this regulation will stop is anyone bottling any old spirit and slapping on a label saying absinthe in the hope of a fast buck.
Your thoughts and discussion are welcome – leave a comment below to join the discussion.
A remarkable event in the continuing history of Absinthe.
Remarkable indeed, as the majority of fine Absinthe, some of which are recreations of recipes pertinent to the history of Absinthe, could quite possibly be no longer qualified as Absinthe due to the minimum amount of thujone required as stated by the proposed regulations.
‘Controversial’ being the operative word here, well beyond a doubt.
Certainly worthy of continued regard.