I just got this email and since it is less than 20 miles from my house, I am heading over for the 1:00pm tour.

I thought it might be of interest to some local readers.

Plus....you get to try their brands! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

I have an aunt in Philly who might like to go. Is it limited to those on the email list, or can anyone RSVP? Thanks!

I signed up on their website and got the email.

You could ask, but I would assume anyone is welcome.

I am so envious!
Rob is a great guy. If there was anyway I could, I'd be there with frickin' bells on!

Sounds great...I wish I could go.

If anyone is interested, I can bring along a camera and ask if I can take and upload photos to The Wormwood Society online.

Mike R.

The tour was very interesting.

In my group, there were maybe 20-25 people.

About a two hour presentation.

There was a second group arriving as I left.

We sat on the main distilling floor in a 3/4 square with Robert in the middle doing the talking. He was joined by the Operations manager and a marketing representative. All provided input during the presentation.

We went through their product line starting with vodka, moving to gin and finally, absinthe. Tasting samples of each were provided with examples of the competitiors provided for comparative purposes. No competing samples of absinthe were provided, although he did have a really bad example of what looked like an eastern European absinthe that smelled like Scope. Yuck!!

Honestly, theirs was much better than the competitors samples. I'm not saying that because I'm a fan of their stuff. Theirs was really better.

I am not a big vodka or gin fan, but theirs is very good. I would drink both and enjoy each.

Robert gave the rundown of the distilling process for each, showing the herbs he uses in each product.

He allowed time for Q&A throughout the presentation providing answers to everyone's questions.

Since most here are interested in the absinthe aspect...

They introduced the V.C, explained the concept behind the bottle, the art, and did say that they are introducing a new bottle very soon addressing the dark type that is very hard to read on the current bottles. They also took a suggestion I made (not taking credit, merely saying I made the suggestion via email) of improving the corked top which had a habit of breaking. It is MUCH better now.

Robert had a fountain (and they recommended Absinth Devil for absinthe related products) and did a drip, showing the process of properly making a glass. No mention of fire was made...thank God!

Robert said his preference for V.C. was 4:1 either with or without sugar, depending on his mood....he compared it to coffee....you take it with, sometimes without.

All in all, he said, you drink it because it tastes good, not because of any folklore or myth surrounding the product. I agree.

(I did not know the distillery could not sell it's own product on site. I can prepared to buy one of each bottle).

I was going to bring the camera, but did not have permission beforehand, and since it was in his production facility, I did not want to be seen as trying to steal his secret sauce so I left it home.

All in all, I left impressed that someone is as dedicated to his craft, and he appears to be a very young guy as well.

I thought it was very cool to have this kind of event and they have definitely gained a customer.

I wish them much luck as it is obvious they are really committed to providing quality spirits to the public.

**As a funny side note, there was a couple next to me that asked if Pernod was an absinthe. I replied that the "modern" version was not very good and they will enjoy the V.C. when it gets served. She said her bottle was not modern, but something that her grandmother (or some other older relative) brought over from France quite a long time ago. She has it at home in her basement or something.

I gave her this sites address and asked her to post photos of the bottle.

I hope she does.

Damn.... I wish I would have caught this thread a day or so ago.
Hopefully I'll catch the next one.. It sounded like it was a great time.
Did you get the number of the couple with the Pernod?

Or hear them utter the word "Fils"?

The tour sounds like fun. VC has been one of my top 10 COs since I tried it and Rob is good people. Their gin is damn good too. Haven't tried the vodka yet.

Hopefully their doors will be open next time I'm in Philly. I'd love to take a look around.




PS--Just took a look at their website for fun. They finally have the VC page finished and it looks very nice. Noticed their Sazerac recipe, though--holy moly! 1.5 oz. of absinthe?! I like VC, but not that much...

I gave the people with the Pernod this website address and my email.

I really hope she posts a pic of the bottle.....

I just got my bottlew of VC today. It smells great from the bottle. I did a 4:1 mix, with some sugar, and it's very drinkable. By far better than Lucid (lighter fluid) which is at the same price point.

Be careful not to overwater it; when you take a glass of VC to 4:1, it starts getting a little thin and you begin to lose the flavor of those quality herbs Rob uses. I personally like it between 3:1 and 3.5:1. And try it sometime without sugar--I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'll give it a shot. I have the whole bottle to get it right!

However, upon the first mix, there was no louche to speak of.

Hmmmm. No louche?

VC louches pretty quickly, but I've always gotten a nice show with a slow, cold drip.

Yeah mang, the taste is nice, but there's NO louche at all. Boo...

To keep it simple, and to perpetuate my lightweightedness, I mix our beloved spirits with Sprite. But there's no louche at all.

All things considered, the bottle prersentation, the color of the drink, and the taste is verry respectable. The only thing that lacks is the louche. There's just not enough essential oils in this mix to make it a homerun.

But it's still better than lighterfluid. (LUCID)

Not a bad value, but when you look for said louche, it's not there. A few bucks more get you Mansinthe, which I thought was really good! Just a point down from Duplais which has the smoothness, and juicyness that I'VE yet to experience.

I'm ranting... Sorry...

It still get you drunk; no question!

...

WELL, oil doesn't mix with water. My technique won't change the content, or lack thereof.

My bottle won't louche. My girl brought over a crappy rubbing alcohol variety Grande Absente with food coloring; and that stuff clouds upon contact...

I'm not crazy...

No doubt.

I'm just suggesting that you might get a better result with a slow, cold drip using water instead of (ahem) Sprite. VC's louche is quick (pretty much over by the time you hit 1:1), but I've had several bottles since it came out in January and every glass has louched. This isn't Czechsinthe we're talking about.

Technique--and what you're using to louche the absinthe--does make a difference. I think if you experiment a little, you'll see this.

But, hey, whatever floats yer boat.

May the black and white avatar heed the black and white avatar!

I have a question for the WS members.....

When I have been meeting people who are getting thier first exposure to absinthe (or just have REALLY bad info that they "heard from some dude") I have been referring them here.

Hopefully that is cool with all of you.

My reason for doing it is that I know there are many, many well educated absinthe lovers on here, and I know they can get some real info......hope you all don't mind!

Thank you. That's exactly why this place is here.

Well, we do derail a few threads.

Drop in more often yourself, Cheers!

We'd be happy to send you a stack of business cards to hand out if you like.

Actually.....do you really have something like that for WS?

Yep.

And a flyer.

Is the flyer anywhere on the web site? I just clicked around a little and didn't find it. The General Information link seemed the most obvious place for it.