By Ian Neubauer
Absinthesalon, an e-commerce website specialising in the distribution of Absinthe, has been launched in Australia.
Absinthe is a restrictive alcoholic beverage requiring an import permit for entry into Australia. Thujone—the active ingredient in absinthe—must be below 10mg per litre as regulated by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. Thujone was traditionally thought to be responsible for absinthe’s reported hallucinogenic effects, though recent studies suggest this is false.
Absinthesalon is managed by Joop Van Heusden and Gaye Valttila, who import prestigious and highly acclaimed absinthes they claim were previously unavailable in this country.
“With important business contacts within the highly specialised world of premium absinthe, including distillers and creators, they are up to date and in touch with new products as they are conceived and brought to fruition from the grandest absinthe distilleries to smaller boutique enterprises,” the distributor said in a statement.
“Joop and Gaye also have extensive personal connections with European absintheurs and experts, collectors of absinthe antiquities and archivists of historical documents and are the foremost port of call when knowledge of absinthe is required in Australia.”
Absinthesalon absinthes and ritual presentation can be experienced at Polly Bar in Melbourne and Belle Epoque Brasserie in Brisbane. There is no Sydney specific venue to indulge in the Absinthe experience in Sydney at this time, however Absinthesalon are in talks with Alexx Swainston of the Victoria Room.