La Fée Blanche is a classic Absinthe Supérieure, distilled using 100% natural ingredients, in collaboration with Marie-Claude Delahaye, founder and curator of the French Absinthe Museum.

What’s in a name

La Fée brand is French for Fairy, ‘La’ indicating feminine, which you may notice her within the La Fée eye. Absinthe historically is referenced as female and was sometimes depicted as a fairy, spirit or wrath…

What is a classic Blanche (white) Absinthe Supérieure

All-natural ingredients (colour clear), distilled in France. Central ingredient being Grand Absinthe (Artemisia absinthium) and having a classic strength of 53%abv.

La Fée is distilled using three artemisia plants at its heart: Grand (Artemisia absinthium) & Petit Absinthe (Artemisia pontica) and Genepi (Genepi Artemisia), Green and Star Anise, Fennel, Hyssop, Coriander, Mint, Melisse and more.

The Fine Art of Distilling & Blending

The eleven botanicals of La Fée Blanche are individually distilled (as opposed to a single distillation of all the ingredients together). These distillates are then carefully blended by the master distiller according to the French Absinthe Museum approved recipe. This method is much more labour intensive and time consuming than a single distillation, but the extra effort allows our Absinthe Supérieure to be replicated time and time again. Ensuring old and new cocktails can be replicate around the world.

Distilling in more detail

Both techniques (blending separate distillations and single distillation) were employed pre 1915 in France. The single distillation process (all ingredients distilled together in alcohol) will naturally vary from batch to batch – caused by subtle differences in the condition of the ingredients (herbs being dried at different temperatures, humidity levels, terroir, seasonal changes during growing etc).

Our experience shows the process of multiple distillations of separate herbs and spices gives us more control over the finished Absinthe. Enabling better consistency and quality, which is crucial when your spirits are so delicately balanced. A mere fraction of a change in one ingredient, caused by a natural variation, can upset the final balance of the spirit.

Old stills used to this day for La Fée Blanche and Parisienne

Natural Classic Blanche (White)

The classic style of absinthe was mainly common in Switzerland and has no second stage maceration. Ideal for colour sensitive cocktails and the classic serve does not require sugar as naturally sweeter.

Verification of a true Absinthe Supérieure

There is one last stage before we are ready to bottle: A sample is couriered to Marie-Claude Delahaye (in Paris) and George Rowley, who test each batch, using their extensive experience of tasting Absinthe and their knowledge of the original master recipe. This starts with colour (crystal clear), then adding water to establish the depth of louche (white with a hint of blue).

Then taste and aroma of the botanicals that are released by the drop in abv through dilution to drinking strength (12% to 16%abv). In the event any aspect is not to our exacting standards, the distillery is advised of any fine-tuning required, a rare event as our experience has grown since our returning the distilling of traditional absinthe to France over a decade ago (May 2000).

La Fée is the only Brand to have the endorsement and direct involvement of the French Absinthe Museam and Marie-Claude Delahaye. A unique quality control procedure that applies to both our Absinthe Supérieure, Parisienne and Blanche.

Only following this approval is the distilled Absinthe sent for bottling in Paris, being our central hub supplying many countries across continents including the America’s, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The taste and louche of Absinthe Supérieure:

A measure of the all-natural Blanche, ready for iced water to be poured…

“La Fée Absinthe Blanche is a fine example of this classic clear absinthe, commonly distilled pre ban in both France and Switzerland where it was named La Bleue”

Marie-Claude Delahaye

The nose neat is a smooth spirit with a noticeable herbal Artemisia profile with deeper note of fennel, spicy coriander and a soft natural sweetness.

… after dilution the louche effect has turned the absinthe supérieure to a milky, opalescent tinged with blue and opens up the aroma and taste, as the essential oils trapped in the distillations are released, filling the air and your senses.

Absinthe is no stranger to cocktails

Grand Wormwood Artemisia absinthium

The plant from which absinthe takes its name. For millennia Artemisia absinthium has been used in a variety of medicinal and therapeutic applications by the ancient Romans, Chinese & Greeks: Most commonly seeped in wine or brewed as tea; as a tonic; antiseptic; to relieve gastric pain; rheumatoid pain and to suppress muscle spasms. Tests have shown extracts of the plant to be a strong antimicrobial. All biblical references to wormwood imply bitterness.

Petite Wormwood Artemisia pontica
Not as bitter as its Grand cousin, pontica is utilised for its herbal aroma rather than adding any discernible flavour.

Genepi (Genepi Artemisia)

Genepi also refers to alpine plants of the genus Artemisia (commonly called wormwood) that provide the liqueur’s flavor and color, and the French Savoy region adjacent to the Aosta Valley, where the plants grow and where the beverage originated. … It is naturally light olive to pale gold in colour.

Fennel (seed of) Foeniculum vulgare

Acting as a bridge between the rich anise flavours and the earthy, bitter wormwood character, fennel is key to the balancing of the holy trinity (Grand wormwood, Anise & Fennel). It is naturally sweet and brings a delightful weight to the finished distillate.

Green Anise seed Pimpinella anisum

Sweet and aromatic, to balance the bitter, herbal character of the wormwood: It stimulates the senses as well appetite. Green anise seeds are used in a variety of different spirits and liqueurs, including Arak (Middle-east), Ouzo (Greece), Sambuca (Italy) and Raki (Turkey).

Star Anise Illicium verum

Powerful and rich with deep liquorice flavour, Star Anise is used sparingly as it is easy to overpower the more subtle herbs. It also aids the clouding of the spirit when water is added (the louche effect)

Hyssop Hyssop officinalis

Adding a slightly bitter, vanillin character to absinthe, Hyssop is another plant enjoyed by the Romans who would infuse wine with the herb.

Coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum)

Used in absinthe for its pleasant spice and fresh, floral aroma. An antioxidant, its historic use as a cure for anxiety has also been proved.

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis

A member of the mint family, Lemon Balm lives up to its name by bringing a light citrus aroma and flavour to the distillation.

Mint Mentha

For its aromatic quality – used in small quantities as, like Star Anise, it can easily disrupt the balance by overpowering the more delicate herbs.

Secret ingredients…

We aren’t going to reveal all our ingredients.

Base Spirits

The base alcohol is distilled from sugar beet, a plant commonly grown in France, Switzerland and throughout the northern hemisphere. The root is distilled to make a neutral spirit (at approximately 96%): La Fée Blanche and Parisienne are both distilled with beet neutral alcohol, other base spirits included grape alcohol (as used in our La Fée X.S range) and grain (as used in our NV (ENVY) and Bohemian range) all being examples of neutral spirit used for the production of the French & Swiss absinthe during its heyday. Once the spirit is distilled with the respective herbs and spices it will be cut down to strength using demineralised water for Blanche and Parisienne, the final Absinthe is cut to 53%abv (106 proof) and for Parisienne, the final Absinthe is cut to 68% abv (136 proof).

The Taste of True French Absinthe

The brand original, La Fée Blanche Absinthe Supérieure, is a traditional French absinthe distilled at the Cherry Rocher distillery using Grand Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and other fine herbs. Her sister product La Fée Parisienne was the first traditional absinthe distilled in France since the 1915 ban and these are the only absinthe’s endorsed by the Musée de l’Absinthe, Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

La Fée Absinthe BLANCHE 53% Vol. 0,7l in Giftbox