Traditional French Absinthe should appear dark green in the bottle and contains large quantities of the world renowned aphrodisiac anise, included in original recipes to disguise the extremely bitter taste of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Thois was the way that all absinthe was made until production ceased, due to the French ban in 1915.
Although the nose of La Fee, once mixed with water and sugar, is predominantly one of anise, one sip will reveal a soft herbal complexity that is very easy on the palate, unlike that of its distant cousin pastis. You will notice that La Fee louches (turns cloudy) when water is added, you will see the colour change swirling in the glass, becoming a paleopalescent green, such as you would see in paintings of absinthe drinkers by Van Gogh or Degas. The colour change only takes place in traditional absinthe.
Parisian bars and cafes of the 19th Century prepared the drink with a slotted absinthe spoon and glass coolers known as "absinthe fountains" to slowly adminster water tthrogh sugar into the drink and this same method is recommend for La Fee today, but you are advised to pour iced water from a jug or carafe as the fountains are now antiques.
