"thujone" news and stories

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label, called Red Hook Rye, and has been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

I've always been a pretty big fan of absinthe: I've had the sweet, fruity liquor that's served in Amsterdam's Absinthe bar and the Windex-tasting stuff that the Czechs sell by the case. I used to order bottles from Portugal and Spain, back before it was officially legal, and I remember opening many an unmarked paper packages with bated breath, hoping that their precious cargo made it across the ocean without breaking.

I even made my own absinthe a few times. Not having the necessary equipment for distilling, I was unable to remove some of the bitter alkaloids from my concoction, which meant that I drank it ice cold, heavily sugared, and quickly. Ultimately, given the obsessive nature of many absinthistes, I can't claim to be an expert on the spirit, and have been accused by more than a few people of heresy for the various ways I've tried it. Still, I will admit to being a well-educated novice and an enthusiastic student.

With that in mind, I was incredibly excited when I learned that Trillium, Integrity Spirits' new domestically-produced absinthe, was going to be served at an event that I recently attended. Only the second company in the U.S. to produce the magical spirit, Integrity uses grande wormwood, or artemesia absinthum, the classic absinthe secret ingredient. This choice differentiates it from other brands, including Absente, that use southern wormwood, or artemesia abrotanum. While grande wormwood imparts a slightly bitter flavor, it also contains a larger quantity of thujone, the best-known psychoactive ingredient in the liquor.

I found Trillium to be slightly more bitter than most imported absinthes, although far smoother than the Czech tipples that I've tried. It had a pale green color that louched beautifully, turning a cloudy peridot when I diluted it with water. The 120-proof packed a decent kick, yet was still fairly smooth and pretty delicious. Moreover, as the spirit worked its magic, I felt the lessened anxiety and general relaxation that I've come to associate with the best absinthes.

Unfortunately, Trillium is unavailable outside Oregon, as Integrity is trying to find a distributor that will effectively market their product. While I'm waiting for it to make its way to this coast, I think I'm going to try to convince my mother-in-law to send me a bottle. Supporting domestic absinthe is now, officially, my patriotic duty!

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