“LA FÉE CAPTURES THE AROMAS AND TASTE THAT GREAT WRITERS AND ARTISTS SUCH AS RIMBAUD, TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, AND VINCENT VAN GOGH ENJOYED AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY”—Marie-Claude Delahaye, Absinthe Historian Endorsed by Musée de l’Absinthe
The Discovery
In 1998, George Rowley discovered absinthe while living in the Czech Republic. At the time, absinthe was a near forgotten relic and was only available in a few Bohemian bars.
Inspired by his experience, George, and his company Bohemia Beer House Ltd (now BBH Spirits) took on the task of setting the legal precedent for absinthe.
George discovered the UK never imposed a ban on absinthe, he was able to secure permission to import the first Absinthe into Europe by applying EU Council Directive 88/388/EEC on spirits. This watershed document set the legal precedent for all future absinthe in Europe and opening the international Absinth market which now includes the United States.
The Resurrection
In May 1999, the campaign to source a genuine pre-ban absinthe and restart distilling in France began when George contacted Marie-Claude Delahaye, world-renowned Absinthe historian and owner of the French Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise.
While reviewing the terms of the 1915 French ban, it was discovered that the French had prohibited the selling of absinthe in
France, but not the distillation of it.
This would signal the rebirth of traditional French absinthe, distilled with Grand Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). All this pioneering work was carried out by George and Marie-Claude Delahaye at the Paris distillery, leading up to the introduction of the first traditionally distilled French absinthe in the 19th century, La Fée Absinthe Parisienne.
The very first order of La Fée Absinthe Parisienne was placed on May 1,2000. To this day, each distillation is checked before bottling by both Marie-Claude and George Rowley.
THE HOLY TRINITY
In the footsteps of historical absinthe distillation, all La Fée products use the Holy Trinity of Absinthe:
