Absinthe L'Entete: a guide to alcohol
Absinthe review
The French premium absinthe L'Entete is made from the best grain alcohol of the highest purification, natural dyes and herbal infusions: Spanish green anise, Provencal fennel and wormwood grown in the municipality of Beaujolais.
The alcohol has an emerald color with a very fragrant aroma, full of notes of sweet orange blossom and delicate hints of spices.
The taste is pleasant, balanced, clean, first revealing delicate notes of meadow herbs, followed by bright tones of anise, fennel and bitter wormwood.
Distillation is carried out in 10 copper cubes, similar in structure to the classic alambics of the XIX century.
Alcohol content 62% by volume. The manufacturer did not provide information on the amount of thujone. That is why Vzboltai cannot recommend this absinthe for drinking by itself produced by classical methods, but for cocktails and dilution with ice water (louche method) it will definitely suit.
Interestingly, the name of the brand L'Entete translates as "perseverance/stubborn", which reflects the owners' bold spirit and relentless pursuit of success.
The history of the producer
The Combier distillery is the oldest operating in the Loire Valley, France. Founded in 1834, the distillery makes full use of its position in the depths of the "French garden" to purchase local products: fruits, flowers and medicinal plants. More exotic ingredients: spices and citrus fruits come by boat from the Atlantic port of Nantes.
It is believed that the famous Triple Sec liqueur was first made in a single distillation cube at the back of the workshop opened in 1834 by the confectioner Jean-Baptiste Combier and his wife Josephine Destre... Combier-Destre's candies filled with this liqueur became so popular that they decided to leave the 1848 confectionery and build a distillery in the gardens next to the famous Somur cavalry school.
In 1852, Jean-Baptiste Combier was imprisoned during the reign of Napoleon III for his republican views. Around the same time, he perfected the recipe for Elixir Combier, an exceptional liqueur that became famous and ensured the distillery's success throughout the century.
In 1866, James Combier was only 24 years old when he became an associate of his father. Active in the local community, he later became the first elected mayor of Saumur. After careful training, he traveled extensively to find the best ingredients for his craft. Under his leadership, the distillery flourished. He developed new markets both in France and abroad, founded a branch in Marseille, secured the supply of exotic fruits and spices, and established sales channels around the world.
Created in 1920, Royal Combier is a sophisticated blend of L'Original Combier, Elixir Combier and premium cognac. Carefully prepared infusion of spices contributes to the strong flavor of persistence in the mouth. Incredibly modern for its time, the liqueur was in perfect harmony with the festive atmosphere of the roaring twenties.
In 2000, Franck Choisne buys the distillery and promotes a revival. Building on its distinguished history and rare craftsmanship, supported by a small and close-knit team, the distillery is slowly but surely gaining momentum. Around 2000, the first bottles of L'Original Combier Triple Sec arrived on the US market, followed shortly by Royal Combier and Elixir Combier.
Distillerie Combier started producing absinthe in 1899, but absinthe production suddenly stopped in 1915 when it became illegal. In 2004, having decided to revive traditional absinthe, Franck Chaillant intended to obtain an amendment to the 1988 decree banning the use of fennel in the recipe and prohibiting the labeling of the drink as absinthe. Six years later, he finally succeeded and absinthe production resumed.
In 2020, Distillerie Combier acquired the extraordinary property Manège Bossut, formerly part of the prestigious Saumur Cavalry School. It is a massive and light building that is a vivid example of concrete engineering of the late 1920s. There was a lot of space for storing natural raw materials: plants, fruits and spices, a new modern bottling line and a warehouse for liqueurs, spirits and syrups waiting to be shipped around the world.
Today, the company's portfolio includes about a hundred different liqueurs created using modern technologies that can satisfy the most demanding taste without disappointing the budget.
Update: 01.01.2022
Category: Absinthe