Tamworth Distilling debuts absinthe cordial

New Hampshire brand Tamworth Distilling has released a Sugar Plum Fairy liqueur, made with damson plums and an absinthe base.

The launch is the producer’s first venture into absinthe. It currently offers a range of whiskeys, gin, vodka, aquavit, liqueurs and more. Sugar Plum Fairy takes inspiration from a French recipe dating back to 1855. Its production process is similar to that of the brand’s gin, with the liqueur made with wormwood, hyssop, fennel seed, anise, gentian root, angelica, and lemon balm. The absinthe base is blended with a fruit distillate to add sweetness, as well as a pine syrup made from macerated white pinecones. Damson plums used to flavour the brand’s Tamworth Garden Damson Gin and berries used in its Mountain Berry Cordial get a second life through their use in the cordial. Bottled at 50% ABV, the limited edition release retails for US$95. Tamworth Distilling was founded by Steven Grasse, the creator of Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry rum brands, which are owned by Scottish spirits firm William Grant & Sons. “Traditional absinthes are undrinkable,” said Grasse. “My team and I pride ourselves in the fact that all of our spirits can be enjoyed straight, so we set out to make something truly special and one-of-a-kind, a sippable absinthe. “Through the reuse of 800 pounds of spent damson plums and mountain berries, to growing our own wormwood and hyssop and sourcing the elusive white pinecones, this is undoubtedly one of the most complicated spirits we have ever put out.”