From Side-Line:
The launch of Marilyn Manson’s own brand of absinthe is not exactly being positively embraced by critics. Most compared the drink’s odour to sewage water and one even described the taste as being “as bad as piss”. One wonders how this critic would know this… The beverage, launched under the name ‘Mansinthe’, has also been receiving negative comments by a panel at the gourmet food website www.epicurious.com: the smell of the beverage can be compared to sewage water, swamp mud and rubbing alcohol. And one taster added: “If a smell could speak, this absinthe is saying: ‘Do not touch.’”
February 18th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I guess it was inevitable. As soon as the U.S. relaxed the absinthe laws, it was only a matter of time before really crappy absinthe started showing back up. t may have a ridiculous name and smell like sewage, but at least there’s no danger copper poisoning this time around (I hope).
Coincidentally enough, I’m actually in the process of doing research for my first few stints as an alcohol columnist at my paper. One of the columns will be on absinthe’s return, and this um, lovely, tidbit helps. Thanks.
February 18th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
The one thing I really can’t stand about Manson (besides his fans) is his obsession with melodrama. Poorly-done melodrama. And this goes right along with that.
February 18th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Ek my brother gave me a bottle of this for my birthday as a joke. I have tried a fair few different absinthes and this one is by far the worst. I can not even bare the smell of it. I feel kinda bad because my brother spent quite a bit of money on it (I live in Australia so I imagine it’s more exy here). I totally agree with the sewage water comparison *shudder*
February 18th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Wow, this is just getting killed across the board…and yeah, what a shit name. The grizzled old Manson on the label is probably just drinking it cuz there’s no more Old Crow left in the house.
I’m actually sort of pleased by this. I’d rather see an experienced Absinthe grandmaster come along and give us a proper drink.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I thought it was a joke when first announced…but I guess not. Manson needs to seriously rethink his career at this point cause he’s entering into dangerous Krusty the Klown territory.
February 18th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Tequila LOL! The Manson home pregnancy test :D
February 19th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Dear ampersandpilcrow,
If you are going to be a columnist writing about alcohol you have a lot more research to do. Absinthe was not “made legal” in the states, in certain forms it was never really “illegal.” A good resource for this would be the Wormwood Society FAQ page. (www.wormwoodsociety.org)
And Mansinthe is not a “US absinthe.” The company that makes it, Markus Lion, is German and it is actually distilled in Switzerland. Once Manson felt that ML had created it to his taste, he introduced the “beverage” at his exhibition in Galerie Schenk in Cologne, June of 2007.
The only absinthe i’ve heard that is currently being produced and sold in the US is called Lucid (www.drinklucid.com). It is developed by Ted Breaux, who has brought many awards to his Combier Distillery, so I doubt it will be as “crappy” as you suspect. While I have not tried it I’ve seen some good reviews and hope to have some in the very near future.
Good luck with your research and the new job.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Tequila LOL indeed !
February 21st, 2008 at 11:43 am
heh heh heh :)
February 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pm
MANsinthe? When I saw the name I thought it was just really manly absinthe for men, but then I realized it was an aweful pun on his name.
February 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
no… just… no…