The Green Fairy: The Story of Absinthe

Trace the evolution of absinthe from a Swiss herbal tonic in the Val-de-Travers valley through its run as a French army ration and the defining drink of Belle Époque Paris, culminating in the modern revival and the protected regional traditions we pour today. This class explores how absinthe became the most mythologized spirit on the back bar, outlawed for nearly a century over a hallucination story that the science never actually supported.

Learn how the holy trinity of grande wormwood, green anise, and fennel, a true pot distillation, and a second herbal steep for color combine into a spirit that clouds the moment water hits it and tells you exactly how it was made.

Ideal for the curious and the skeptical alike, and for anyone who has only met absinthe through a burning sugar cube, this is the most theatrical class we teach and the one that replaces the myth with the craft behind a genuinely great spirit.

The Experience

• Duration: 2 hours of expert-led instruction.
• Tastings: A curated range of regional styles and 2 handcrafted cocktails.
• Pairings: A complimentary welcome punch and our signature truffle popcorn.