Absinthe

[Decker]

This from a recent VX mailing

quote:
'Virgin America is delighted to be the first Airline to offer Absinthe in-flight.

Le Tourment Vert authentic French absinthe is now available on all Virgin America flights. '


Ermm authentic? I mean importation restrictions mean that the thujone levels have to be less than ten ppm and the stuff Van Gogh drank likely had > 250 ppm.

Not that I am pedantic...

[Bazz]

Can't be the 'real stuff', it is illegal in the US.

[Decker]

Well you can drink 'Absinthe' in the US now that is clearly labelled as being Absinthe and is even prepared with special iced water dispensers onto the sugar cube on the spoon - in the past few months I've had it on the West Coast in Vegas and on the East Coast in Long Island BUT it's a sanitised Absinthe...

I remember trying to import a real bottle several years ago and failing...

Right now, it's not clear if they would even stop you with the real stuff. The ban was an FDA ban on wormwood-based drinks, and this has been lifted. It is now OK to sell it so long as it is 'essentially thujone-free', meaning like you said less than 10ppm.

I'm sure lots of thujone can be bad, but jeez, this is 60% alcohol stuff, if you have had 3 generous shots of cask-strength Ardbeg or whatever scotch you like (shots like they might have poured in Van Gogh's days) at that level of alcohol, you'll know thujone is the least of your worries .....

I adore Absinthe - Rules make the most fantastic Champagne and absinthe cocktails .....

[Decker]

I don't know MM - the link clearly says

quote:
Only the brands of absinthe that have received TTB approval will be permitted entry. Absinthe imported for personal use that bears an unapproved label will be denied entry.

Has generated plenty of interest on Twitter has this! Can only be a good thing

quote:Originally posted by Decker
I don't know MM - the link clearly says

quote:
Only the brands of absinthe that have received TTB approval will be permitted entry. Absinthe imported for personal use that bears an unapproved label will be denied entry.



Oh, agree on the rule, I just wonder how easily they'd figure it out. In the end, I can't tell the difference from tasting it, so I'd not likely bother risking it!

[mcmbenjamin]

VX has a coaster on the F meal trays informing about Absinthe.