List of Absinthes Approved for US launch (or in process)

UPDATED JUNE 26, 2009

53 now approved, 60 either approved or in process!

Following my last posting, some readers said that it would be useful to have a full list of absinthes approved for US launch or thought to have pending applications, combined with references to public commentary or reviews. I will update this page whenever new absinthes are listed on the TTB website or are announced and/or discussed publicly. This list has grown by two in the last two weeks alone, so let's hope I can keep up with the pace of development.

Bookmark this page to check back for new updates.

Listed on the TTB website

1. Lucid: reviews. Thanks to Lucid for their inspired copyline used in the headline of this story.
2. Kübler: reviews.
3. St. George: reviews.
4. Grande Absente: some experts do not consider this to be a real absinthe, since the label states it is a liqueur and thus it contains sugar. Absinthes do not contain sugar. Commentary.
5. Le Tourment Vert: same sugar comment as Grande Absente. reviews.
6. La Fée Parisienne: reviews.
7. Mythe Absinthe Traditional: reviews.
8. Libertine: reviews to follow.
9. Mata Hari Absinthe Bohemian: commentary.
10. La Crème Kübler: not an absinthe, but a liqueur with an absinthe base. Nothing known about this product apart from the labels.
11. Vincent van Gogh Klasiek Absinthe from Luctor (of Vincent van Gogh Vodka): nothing known about this product apart from its label.
12. Artemisia (Fat Dog Spirits, Florida): apart from its label, nothing is known about this product.
13. La Muse Verte: discussion.
14/15. Two Sirène brands from Chicago's North Shore Distillery: blanche approved, but no launch date yet.
16. Denver's Leopold: reviews.
17. Trillium: discussion.
18. La Clandestine Absinthe: reviews.
19. Versinthe? Versinthe Absinthe real absinthe has been rumoured for some while, but it is strange to see this latest TTB approval, with a "Versinthe" brand classified within "OTHER FRUIT & PEELS LIQUEURS." The label has now been added on the TTB website, showing that this a 45% abv (or 90 proof) absinthe.
20. Marteau De La Belle Epoque: Gwydion Stone's Marteau has not changed its name. It seems that the TTB spell-checker has broken down. Reviews to follow.
21. Obsello: the first Spanish absinthe, although on its initial label, it was claimed to be suisse grade.
22. Duplais Verte: the first of the Tempus Fugit Spirits to be approved.
23. Mansinthe: the second Tempus Fugit Spirit brand.
24. Vieux Pontarlier: the third Tempus Fugit brand.
25. The first Czech absinthe, St. Antoine Reserve. Discussed in some detail at Fée Verte.
26. Taboo Genuine from Canada? Label details not yet visible on the TTB site, but if it's Taboo from Canada, it seems likely to be this Taboo. Edit December: it is!
27. Pernod Aux Extraits de l'Absinthe: announced here for July 2008 launch. Reviews. Where is the label approval?.
28. Djabel: the second Czech "absinth."
29. Green Fairy: the third Czech "absinth."
30. Jade Nouvelle-Orléans: at last. As pre-announced in June. Label not yet visible on the TTB site.
31. Vieux Carré: from Philadelphia Distilling. Interesting to see TWO New Orleans related absinthes in one week. Embyronic website only at 31 October 2008. Vieux Carré seems likely to be available in Pennsylvania soon (or now?) according to this.
32. Pere Francois, the first of four absinthes that seem to be handled by Unique Imports (see also below).
33. Koruna, the 4th Czech brand and the 3rd from the same company.
34. La Valote, another Swiss brand from the Val-du-Travers.
35. La Charlotte from the same company that makes La Libertine.
36. Pacifique from Marc Bernhard. Read about it at the Wormwood Society and on their blog.
37. Manguin Premium Number One. Another absinthe from Unique.
38. Upsynth, the authentic genuine Austrian absinthe spirit. From a company that market an absinthe and soda premix in Australia. Discussed (note spelling) here.
39. Corsair Red, apparently the first red-coloured absinthe to be launched in the USA from Corsair Artisan in Kentucky.
40/41. The two new absinthes from Delaware Phoenix (a little distillery in upstate New York): Walton Waters and Meadow of Love. Congratulations, Cheryl!
42. Francois Guy, at last!
43. Lemercier, the fourth absinthe from Unique.
44. Lamesinthe La Verte. Another French product which is described on the label as a liqueur. Presumably this means it contains sugar: some experts would say that this is therefore not real abinthe.
45. Absente looks likely to be re-launched with an artemisia absinthium base. Will they be selling the new Absente at the same price as the old Absente, e.g. $31 and upwards? Does this indicate that Grande Absente has not been very successful (this also has a new label approval, but it is not visible on the TTB site). Both labels are approved with the qualification "THE FINISHED PRODUCT MUST BE "THOUGHTFUL" PURSUANT THE 21 CFR 172.510," whatever that means!
46/47. Abyss Authentic and Abyss Raspberry (!): labels not yet visible on the TTB site, although the mispelt advice on the TTB approval that these must be "MUST BE THYNE FREE PURSUANT TO 21 CFR 172.510" coupled with the Abyss trademark registration makes it clear these are to be marketed as absinthe.
48. Fleurs du Mal: which has no actual reference to absinthe but the glass, strength and brand name clearly suggest it is aimed at the absinthe market.
49. Herbsaint: now approved. see this blog for more information.
50. Absinthe Ordinaire from the makers of Absente and Grande Absente. Again declared as a liqueur because of its sugar content. Apparently I have to go back to Absinthe College because this label states: "Legend has it that the first true Absinthe recipe was created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire in 1792 in rural France." Seems that Wikipedia, the Virtual Absinthe Museum , and all the other experts disagree.
51. La Fée NV. 38%. I expect this one will arouse some interest on the Forums! Fée Verte discussion here.
52. Edward 111: Discovered in late night Tweets on Twitter. One of us may have been drinking (it helps!). Formula and label now approved. A traditional bleue style absinthe that will be produced in upstate New York and launch by mid to end of summer 2009 in NYC.
53. Duplais Blanche: reviews. The 4th absinthe from Tempus Fugit with rumours of at least one more to come.

Publicly announced but not yet listed on TTB

54. Crispin's Supérieure launch announced in the San Francisco Chronicle on August 15th, 2008.
55/56. Ridge Absinthes from Joe Legate formerly known as T73, of the Wormwood Society. Launch not likely until second half of 2009. Both a blue and a verte planned.

Discussed on the Absinthe Forums and reportedly in advanced planning

57. Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries have announced their intention to launch absinthe.
58. As announced on Fée Verte, Redux Absinthe.
59. As announced on Facebook, a new bleue from Gwydion Stone, Marteau Safir.

Unsubstantiated Rumours and Gossip

60. Artemisia Collection: added here following comment left by Anonymous. To be transferred "up" the list as and when something more substantial appears or someone translates their website for me! Their latest press release suggests that they are looking for a US importer ...

As a quick side-note, some readers might be interested in this article about the TTB process.

And to read this from a letter in The UK Independent:

"Wine bureaucrats lose their bottle

Roger Hewell's letter (19 August) reminded me of a visit to a Californian winery. The labels on all the bottles, in addition to the usual health warnings, bore at the bottom the words "Open other end".

The proprietor told us that all wine labels had to be submitted for approval to the US government. When he sent in his first label with "Open other end" on it, it was returned with an instruction to remove these words. The proprietor replied that if the government would guarantee to pay all damages claimed by anyone who had tried to open the wrong end, then he would do as instructed. He never had a reply.

John Evans, Marlow, Buckinghamshire"

Back to the subject, do any of my readers have any other imminent absinthes to add to this list?