Jade 1901 Absinthe Supérieure (136 proof / 68 ABV) is made in the 180-year-old Combier Distillery located in Saumur, France. The recipe was developed by Jade Liqueurs owner and distiller T.A. “Ted” Breaux. Breaux, a New Orleans, Louisiana native, is considered one of the very best at distilling absinthe, in the world.
Jade 1901 represents the second release from Jade Liqueurs that was carefully reverse engineered from sealed antique bottles of one notable brand of the original spirit, several intact examples of which remain in the Jade Liqueurs archive.
Recreated as a tribute to a widely studied pre-ban absinthe sample, this absinthe was a tribute to this original, as it was produced circa 1901. During the heyday of its existence, the orginal brand was an object of worldwide export, and was widely considered as a top-tier example of the category. When Switzerland and France enacted bans on absinthe production in the early 20th century, some of the original distilleries were liquidated. Around this time, the Combier distillery in Saumur, France verifiably purchased two 1100 liter copper absinthe alembics from the original distillery in Pontarlier, and installed them alongside with the eight smaller alembics which had been a part of the distillery since Gustave Eiffel redesigned it in 1894. The importance of this history and the authenticity of these ancient absinthe alembics were of particular important when Breaux chose the Combier distillery as the most suitable venue for distilling the Jade vintage absinthe clones.
This is a classic vintage-style absinthe, balanced and crisp, with a stimulating herbal aroma and a smooth, lingering aftertaste that recalls the splendor of the Parisian cafés during the Belle Epoque. It should be noted that when a large cache of the pre-ban original was discovered in recent times, a few bottles were found to be in a remarkable state of preservation, retaining much of their original color and freshness. Those who have been fortunate enough to taste these were unanimous in their remarks as to the striking similarities between the vintage bottles and the Jade 1901 Absinthe Supérieure pre-ban clone.
