Larusée : from dream to reality
The absinthes and other products from Larusée take us directly to the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Apart from its geographical location with its enchanting landscapes, the Neuchâtel region is also believed to be the historical birthplace of absinthe, the mythical drink that is gaining popularity among spirit enthusiasts.
But what is absinthe? Originally, absinthe is a plant with various recognized medicinal properties. In the 18th century, it was used to produce an alcoholic beverage by adding flavorings such as fennel and green anise. Legend has it that Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a pharmacist of Burgundian origin, invented the recipe in 1792. However, Henriette Henriod, a Swiss herbalist from the canton of Neuchâtel, is also credited with producing the first absinthe recipe as a medicinal tonic. This question remains unresolved.
In the 19th century, absinthe experienced a surge in popularity. Accused of causing serious intoxications and fought against by anti-alcohol leagues, it was banned from production in Switzerland in 1910, and in France in 1915. Using scientific methods, which are now considered unreliable, thujone, a constituent molecule of the absinthe plant, was blamed for all the ills. In 1988, a decree authorized and regulated the presence of thujone in beverages and food, allowing France to produce absinthe again following European regulations with a maximum thujone content of 35 mg/L. Switzerland followed suit in 2005.
Since 2011, the designation “absinthe” has been officially recognized by the INAO.
In 2012, the Larusée distillery was founded in Fenin, near Neuchâtel, by Jean-Pierre Candaux and his son-in-law Nicolas Nyfeler, following a discussion between the two men about the dream of Léon, the grandfather of Jean-Pierre’s wife, to distill absinthe. At that time, absinthe was prohibited in Switzerland, and Jean-Pierre’s wife was strongly opposed to the idea, so Léon shelved his recipe and research notebooks. However, the passion remained, and he spoke so persuasively to Jean-Pierre that he passed on the desire to produce it. With the aim of changing the image of absinthe, Nicolas proposed to Jean-Pierre to join forces and turn this dream into reality. Thus, Larusée was born.
The distillery is now run by Jean-Pierre and his wife Danièle, as well as Nicolas and his wife Aurélie. Their absinthes (as well as their Pastis and, more recently, their Gin) are distilled entirely by hand and in a traditional manner, according to Léon’s recipes from the 19th century, which they have improved over time. The family’s goal is to offer a refined and elegant version of a historical beverage, where the human touch is present at every stage of production, ensuring a unique and exceptional product. Indeed, their products are made from the finest herbs and aromatic plants from the Swiss terroir. The herbs are weighed to the gram for batches of 120 liters in the still they designed, bottling is done individually, corking is done on a unique machine developed in collaboration with a local mechanic, labels are applied one by one using a labeling machine, and the wax sealing of the bottles is done in an old saucepan. All these elements together embody the great value of Larusée products.
Everything is produced in very limited quantities, and they have been awarded numerous Gold medals at spirits and sommelier competitions around the world.
Plus de partenaires
