Absinthe Ordinaire Liqueur

[TrainerAZ]

Long time, no post . . .

 

I also tried the AO, having seen it so very inexpensive and tempting in my local Oregon state-run liquor store. (Currently available alternatives are Lucid at $65, Absente, and various Czechsinths, all over $45. Oh, and Le Tourment whatever in the pretty sandblasted bottle. Have had Marteau at $82 and St. George at the same; neither is stocked anymore. Marteau is nice, St. George is odd. Not bad, just odd. Coriander, maybe?)

 

At its price point, AO is what it is, and the name is entirely accurate. It's absolutely an oil mix (surprise!). It's not something I'd compare favorably even with Lucid, but it's drinkable. Someone having it as his first taste of absinthe would not necessarily be turned off; as Ken pointed out, it's not bitter or anything. It's just not really anything.

 

On a side note, if anyone can test the product for methanol, I'd be eternally grateful. Trying to rule out causes for last week's 3-day migraine which left me with persistent double vision. Methanol poisoning is by far the most pleasant -- and most reversible -- medical cause I can find for double vision. Seeing doctor tomorrow (HMO is taking the "delay so maybe you die first" approach).

 

Just in case it IS methanol poisoning, I'm doing some home treatment right now.

[OMG_Bill]

Ethanol is the treatment I hear.

 

Good to see you back OR Welcome Back TrainerAZ.

 

Hope you feel better quick.

 

[Absomphe]

What the manatee said!

[Green Baron]

What the manatee and the clown said.

 

But I can't resist pointing out that Absinthe Ordinaire Liqueur isn't what it says it is, as absinthe is NOT a liqueur.

 

I hope that someone is able to check the methanol issue out, and more importantly, whatever is the cause of your malady, it goes away soon!

Edited July 21, 2010 by Green Baron

[TrainerAZ]

Ethanol is the treatment I hear.

 

Good to see you back OR Welcome Back TrainerAZ.

 

Hope you feel better quick.

 

That'd be the treatment I'm pursuing. From sources of known quality.

 

The other options aren't so glamorous as methanol poisoning. Macular degeneration, stroke, transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), multiple sclerosis, brain tumor near optic nerve . . . I can really pass on any of them.

 

How's you kids? And howdy, Absomphe!

[Zman (Marc Bernhard)]

I've never heard of methanol triggering headaches, most likely the artificial coloring. If you are willing to pay for it, and send me a sample, I can have it analyzed for methanol content.

[TrainerAZ]

I've never heard of methanol triggering headaches, most likely the artificial coloring. If you are willing to pay for it, and send me a sample, I can have it analyzed for methanol content.

Thanks, Z . . . though I was concerned about methanol poisoning having caused not the migraine, but the persistent double vision (a symptom of methanol poisoning).

 

Ophthalmologist today investigated and informed me that last week's 3-day migraine damaged my 4th cranial nerve, which controls the superior oblique muscle, one of three muscles which move my left eye. It is now weakened, so my left eye "rides high" compared to the right, causing the double vision. I also have slight edema in my left retina, causing a small blind spot.

 

It will take up to 6 months before I know if the damage is permanent. There is a good chance the nerve damage is permanent and fixing it may require surgery; the edema will probably resolve on its own. Meanwhile, I'll be seeing a neurologist and a migraine specialist to be sure I don't have any MORE 3-day, neurologically-damaging migraines.

 

I'd rather have a drink. Even if it's AO! (Slowly steering back to on-topic . . .)

[Bob Tessier]

Take care, I hope these issues resolve satisfactorily.

[OMG_Bill]

Indeed!

[mrbang]

Absinthe Ordinaire has wormwood, so why isn't it considered a true absinthe? Is it because it's not a spirit, but a liqueur?

[Brian Robinson]

That's exactly why. Just because a product contains wormwood doesn't mean it's absinthe. Plenty of non-absinthe products contain wormwood.

 

Absinthe has always been a dry spirit. Sugar should be added at the discretion of the consumer. Technically, this product should be labelled a 'creme d'absinthe'.

 

However, even it it did not have sugar, the fact that it's artificially colored would put it into the lower end of the quality spectrum.

[mrbang]

That's exactly why. Just because a product contains wormwood doesn't mean it's absinthe. Plenty of non-absinthe products contain wormwood.

 

Absinthe has always been a dry spirit. Sugar should be added at the discretion of the consumer. Technically, this product should be labelled a 'creme d'absinthe'.

 

However, even it it did not have sugar, the fact that it's artificially colored would put it into the lower end of the quality spectrum.

 

Thank you for the information. I was just curious but now I know.

[Retrogarde]

I couple quick thoughts:

 

I didn't find the taste objectionable, and it did remind me of oil mixes I had back when I didn't know better, so there's a strange bit of nostalgia.

 

This certainly isn't the same thing as Absente or Grande Absente. I tried it with a sugar cube (too sweet), but without one it didn't seem sweetened to me at all. Absente is like treacle in comparison.

 

My absolute favorite thing about it is the sloppy photoshopping on the label. The photo appears to be genuine, but they have added some oversized bottles to the table that aren't even close to being the same color as the rest of the photo. Really classy. EDIT: it's REALLY obvious on their website too.

 

One quick question though: wasn't there a rule about the word Absinthe not being larger than the brand name on the label? It seems bigger to me, but maybe I'm just misremembering the rule.

[White Wolf]

They have some interesting cocktails listed. I wouldn't have thought of mixing anything with Moxie.

 

 

Jim

Edited February 23, 2011 by White Wolf

[MASTERPC]

So, I'm sitting at The Aloft Cascade Station hotel here at the WXYZ lounge in PDX and on their wall is a bottle of AO. Looking it up, I see there's been plenty of discussion about it. New to me. Early morning flight so will pass on it this time though.

[Ektagraphic]

I just recently visited a bar in New York that is seemed to be rather known for absinthe. While I was sitting at the bar, two different groups, totaling at least a couple dozen people came in and asked for absinthe, and this is what they were given. Sad! The bartender said it was the cheapest and easiest to drink, and they went for it. The price is appealing, but all of these other factors, no way!

[Derp]

I'm still fairly new to absinthe, but I don't find AO objectionable.  It's become a staple in my collection.  It's super cheap, isn't as bad as Absente, and is nowhere near as bad as Mata Hari.

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

I hate Absente and Grande Absente,

but I do find Ordinare to be drinkable if you treat it like a Pastis.  Even better is Pastis  Henri Bardouin. 

 

 

[Mimi13]

My husband just brought me a bottle of this. I know I've had it before, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it tasted like. Oh well, it's better than the other choice he had, which was the Van Gogh stuff. I am going to do an Alandia order soon, so that will make up for it.