Absente is a

brand name A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

of 110 proof

anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

that has been marketed under the tagline "

Absinthe Absinthe (, ) is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from several plants, including the flowers and leaves of ''Artemisia absinthium'' ("grand wormwood"), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. Historical ...

Refined" since c. 2000. "Absente" is a French word that translates as "absent" in English.

In the U.S.

Prior to 2009, Absente sold in the U.S. contained no grande wormwood (''Artemisia absinthium''), the essential herb from which absinthe derives its name. The maker substituted southernwood (''

Artemisia abrotanum ''Artemisia abrotanum'', the southernwood, lad's love, or southern wormwood, is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family. It is native to Eurasia and Africa but naturalized in scattered locations in North America. Other common name ...

'') and the product was bottled with sugar, two critical aspects that differentiated Absente as an anise liqueur and not an absinthe by any traditional reference. The ingredients of Absente are listed in order as alcohol, sugar, a combination of "essences", infusions and distillates, and two artificial dyes, FD&C Yellow #5 and Blue #1. Absente's U.S. marketing effort had long sought to associate the liqueur with traditional absinthe through statements such as, "''The only difference is we replaced Wormwood...with a less bitter cousin called Southern-Wormwood, also known as "Petite Absinthe," which allows us to offer Absente in the United States.''" The reference to "petite absinthe" is inaccurate, as ''petite absinthe'' refers invariably to 'Roman wormwood' ('' Artemisia pontica'') throughout credible distillation treatises, while 'southernwood' is historically referred to as ''aurone'', ''abrotone'', or ''armoise citronelle'', and is scarcely ever mentioned, if at all. At that time, Absente's website explained, "''By maintaining a form of wormwood in Absente, we are able to truly call Absente a modern Absinthe''." Following the re-legalization of genuine absinthe in the U.S. in 2007, the North American importer introduced a reformulated version that includes grande wormwood (April, 2009) in an apparent effort to improve its consumer appeal. The new label proclaims, "Now With Wormwood!". Since 2016 it has been marketed as “traditional absinthe with wormwood”

In Europe

The version marketed in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

under the same name is and has always been made with "essence of grande wormwood" (''Artemisia absinthium''). The label design differs mildly from the U.S. version by having "Liqueur aux Plantes d'Absinthe" above the main label and a silver capsule.

References

External links

Official websiteUS importer's SiteThe Green Goddess
{{Absinthe Absinthes Anise liqueurs and spirits