From 1910, following Switzerland’s prohibition of the wickedly alcoholic and ruthlessly bitter aniseed drink, distillers of the so-called ‘devil in the bottle’ in the Val de Travers moved underground. In 1990 the great-grandson of a pre-prohibition distiller in Môtiers came up with Switzerland’s first legal aniseed liqueur since 1910 – albeit one which was only 45% proof alcohol (instead of 50% to 75%) and which scarcely contained thujone (the offensive chemical found in wormwood, said to be the root of absinthe’s devilish nature). An extrait d’absinthe (absinthe extract) quickly followed and in 2005, following Switzerland’s lifting of its absinthe ban, the Blackmint – Distillerie Kübler & Wyss in Môtiers distilled its first true and authentic batch of the mythical fée verte (green fairy) from valley-grown wormwood. Mix one part crystal-clear liqueur with five parts water to make it green.
