RABUN GAP, Ga. — Oldknow Bev Co., a spirited seltzer distillery using mountain water and all-natural spirits, has released Verte Absinthe Spirited Seltzer, the first absinthe-based seltzer in the United States, the company said.
Absinthe is an herbaceous elixir with a long tradition of lore, intertwining the romance of the spirit and its use by artists, writers and bohemians throughout the centuries, the company said. According to legend, absinthe was created in the 1790s by Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Switzerland. Ordinaire created absinthe to be used as an alcohol-based elixir distilled from the bitter-tasting herb Artemisia absinthium, or wormwood.
Oldknow Bev Co. is producing its own interpretation of “fairy water” with its Verte (colorized by fresh herbs) Absinthe Spirited Seltzer made from a combination of clean and crisp mountain water, spirit and fresh herbs.
“We are both artists and absinthe has always been the spirit of artists,” said co-owner Ryan Warner Wood, who along with co-owner Mary Catherine Matheny has been creating cocktails for the past 10 years. “It is one of the greatest spirits of all time with herbs at its core. We wanted to create something magical that highlights the notes and nuances of anise and fennel in this unique spirit.”
Oldknow Bev. Co. spirited seltzers are made with mountain water and natural ingredients and have lower alcohol by volume (ABV) compared with other ready-to-drink beverages at 5%, the company said.
“Absinthe has often been mispresented, and drinkers might have been fearful or completely had the wrong impression of this classic spirit,” Matheny said. “Our Verte Absinthe Seltzer is the first of its kind. We wanted to take a different, more natural approach to seltzers. It is herbaceous and will take you by surprise. We are bringing an old-world style of drinking to a new generation.”
Oldknow Bev Co. was founded in 2021 by Matheny and Wood, both artists and drink makers. Located in Rabun Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, Oldknow Bev Co. uses clean and crisp mountain water and fresh herbs to create its line of spirited seltzers, verte absinthe, vodka seltzer and gin seltzer.
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