sardonix

Yes, I usually try to get to Toronto a couple times a year; it's only about 90 miles away. It's a great, lively city...every time I go it seems to have gotten bigger. Too bad the only absinthe I've found there is Hill's & Pernod...

Interesting poll. My current top five in no particular order: Duplais Balance Montmartre Obsello St. George Mansinthe

Thanks to everyone again for the hello's! Absomphe, nice to hear from someone familiar with my hometown.

Hello, AxeSlinger, I see you're from Kingston, ON. Are you a Hip fan, by any chance?

Opinions of Dali's work seems to be either "love it" or "hate it" with not much in between. I enjoy it (not sure what that says about MY mind, since the guy seemed kind of twisted). For fans, there is a great museum dedicated to his work in St. Petersburg, Florida that is well worth the visit if you're nearby.

I'm about a mile from the town...and you did spell it right. Native American for "Land of the Crabapple" or something...known in some circles locally as "Cheekto-vegas," not really sure why.

By the way, I'm a big fan of the Obsello. It's got its own unique character without being radically different from what is considered "typical" traditional absinthe (like St. George). Watch the water amount, as it has lower alcohol (I like a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio, no sugar).

One of the most impressive 'first starts' I've ever seen. OK guys, we're gonna need to start stocking some crappy stuff to let the newbies know what we had to deal with in our day! Thanks for the welcome. I have to give much (OK, all) credit to forums like this and reviews @ WS & ABSINTHE.SE for making good choices! Especially considering that what got me interested in absinthe was a magazine ad for AbsintheX Zele...scary.

I couldn't agree more...In fact, I even bought a bottle of Hill's while in Canada (even though I've never read a good review of it) just to be able to compare/contrast the good absinthes to the bad. Believe me, you will never appreciate something like Balance more than after trying Hill's...(the "burning method" should be applied to the entire bottle, safely, Molotov cocktail-style...)

Greetings from Buffalo. My interest in absinthe began just prior to the loosening of the ban, late 2006 (good timing). My first purchases were Montmartre & Duplais Balance from Markus Lion, and I was hooked. After absinthe became more readily available int the US, I made a point of trying much of what I could acquire (AND afford). Luckily, we have a great liquor selection a local supplier (the Premier group) here in the Buffalo area, with about a dozen absinthes available, plus a wide selection from DrinkUpNY. Unfortunately, I have yet to meet many local absintheurs. The Wormwood Society is where I've been getting my fix for absinthe appreciation, so here I am...