Product Description

La Fée XS Suisse, a wine based ‘amer’ absinthe distilled in the birthplace of absinthe: Couvet, Val-de-Travers, Switzerland. Extra Superior absinthe was historically distilled using a high proportion of herbs, including wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and a wine alcohol base. For our premium La Fée XS range the importance of those methods, along with sourcing the best distillers in the historical homelands of absinthe, were paramount.

La Fée XS Suisse is produced in the small town of Couvet in the Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland and it is here absinthe production began in 1792. Time was spent creating a recipe to reflect those top quality absinthes of the 19th century and the whole distillation process is carried out by hand and monitored closely to ensure consistency throughout. The finest aromatic plants, including locally grown wormwood (Artemesia absinthium), along with a grape alcohol base are carefully distilled in small quantities creating an absinthe that is highly elegant and perfectly balanced. La Fée XS Suisse gets its unique characteristics from the high proportion of herbs used, and a slight change in the ingredients would dramatically alter its final flavour.

Each distillation takes place in small copper stills that have the capacity to produce just over 100 bottles. The wine alcohol, herbs and plants, including the wormwood are soaked in the stills overnight resulting in a beautifully scented mixture. Just before the distillation process begins, natural spring water straight from the Swiss mountains of the Val-de-Travers region is added to reduce the alcohol levels. For many hours the stills gently extract the distillate, too fast or slow would alter the flavour dramatically. The distilled XS is now at 76% abv and is left to mature. Bottling can not take place until the Swiss authorities have measured the weight and alcohol, after which purified natural spring water is added to reduce the alcohol level to 53%.