The label of Tabu absinthe depicts the face of a madman distorted by horror: this can only be seen in a nightmare. The drawing seems to hint at the hallucinogenic properties of the drink.
In fact, Tabu, produced by the German concern Felix Rauter GmbH & CoKG, is considered one of the best absinthes in Europe. It is made on the basis of well-purified grape spirit, without the addition of artificial colors. The drink is sold in dark glass bottles: this is necessary so that the chlorophyll contained in absinthe does not decompose.
Historical reference. Felix Rauter, after whom one of the central streets of Essen is named, was born in 1841. His father, Heinrich Rauter, owned a small sheet glass factory. Later, the family business expanded: Heinrich Rauter acquired a brick factory, and in 1853 a small vinegar distillation business. This year is considered by the current owners of the company, descendants of Herr Heinrich, as the founding date of the family distillery.
In his youth, Felix Rauter served in the army, then, when his father grew old and retired, he resigned and took up family businesses. Distillation of vinegar brought a good income. Herr Felix, having rebuilt and modernized the plant, mastered the production of brandy.
North Rhine-Westphalia, where Essen is located, is known for its vineyards. Therefore, there was no shortage of raw materials for wine spirit. At the end of the XNUMXth century, absinthe was in fashion in Europe. Felix Rauter already had his own production of first-class wine spirit, and there was one step left before the production of wormwood tincture. This is how absinthe “Tabu” appeared, in the creation of the recipe of which Rauter took an active part.
In 1895, Felix Rauter handed over the company to his son, Heinrich, and for 14 years, until the end of his life, he was engaged in charity work. He built an orphanage, a hospital and a maternity hospital for the poor, donated a large collection of paintings to the local museum. The grateful citizens of Essen still remember their generous countryman.
In 1923, absinthe was banned in Germany. However, the assortment of Felix Rauter was already so large by that time that this ban did not deal a fatal blow to the business.
Since 1998, the old distillery in Essen has been re-producing a fragrant wormwood tincture according to a recipe that was passed down from father to son in the Rauter family throughout the XNUMXth century. Herbs for absinthe are specially grown in ecologically clean alpine valleys.
Types of absinthe Tabu
There are four types of Taboo absinthe with a strength of 55 degrees (thujone content – 35 mg per liter):
- Classic is an absinthe with a spicy-floral aroma, in which notes of anise and dill stand out. Taste – complex, gradually opening, at first – ginger-anise with a touch of licorice, then turning into a warm aftertaste with a slight bitterness;
- Classic Strong is a drink with a delicate smell, in which dominant notes of anise and barely audible notes of nougat, chocolate and bitter grapefruit are mixed. Taste – wormwood-anise, with a hint of chili pepper. The warm aftertaste hints of grapefruit, cumin and nutmeg;
- Dry – absinthe, fragrant with almonds, cherries, vanilla chocolate. The taste of the drink is vanilla-almond, with noble wormwood bitterness;
- Red is a red absinthe with lemon, orange, pomelo and cinnamon flavors. The taste harmoniously combines citrus, spicy and wormwood tones.
