A Glass of Vintage Herbsaint

A glass of vintage Legendre Herbsaint from the 1940s, a rare treat from old New Orleans.
The scent and taste of this vintage bottle of Legendre Herbsaint compares well to a vintage absinthe such as Pre-Ban Pernod Fils, and other quality Pre-Ban absinthes.

Legendre Herbsaint stands alone in it's category as an absinthe substitute, with an unbroken production record from 1933, to present day, long after other competitors have faded into history.

1940s Legendre Herbsaint

1930s Legendre & Co. Bottles

A Selection of 1930s Legendre & Co. Bottles

Top images: A 1934 Legendre Herbsaint bottle, with the label in two parts, showing the new name, Legendre Herbsaint. This bottle dates from the early production of the newly revised label.
Also shown is the original Legendre & Co. stamped cork, rescued from the inside of the bottle.








Below: From left to right, an example of a rare pint bottle Herbsaint, an intact 1934 Herbsaint mini bottle, a full sized Herbsaint bottle with an early two piece label, Legendre New Orleans Bitters, and a December 1933 Legendre Old Absinthe House Cocktail bottle.
At the center is an unused Herbsaint label, date stamped July 13, 1934 on reverse.

A Selection of 1930s Legendre & Co. items

Legendre Herbsaint Bottle From the 1940s

A still sealed full bottle of Legendre Herbsaint

This is a well preserved example of Legendre Herbsaint from the 1940s, still full with no ullage, this bottle waits for the day to be opened, and make this Herbsaint collector's heart grow fonder.

Legendre New Orleans Bitters

Legendre New Orleans Bitters

Legendre & Co. made their own high quality version of Peychauds bitters, this rare bottle dates from the 1930s. Legendre & Co. would market two types of bitters, The New Orleans Bitters, and Orange Bitters, in both mini bottle, and pint bottle size.

A selection of Vintage New Orleans Favorites

Legendre Old Absinthe House Cocktail

Legendre Old Absinthe House Cocktail

This Legendre Absinthe House Cocktail bottle is a very early Legendre & Co. artifact, dating from the immediate post prohibition era of December 1933.
The still sealed contents which appear to be intact, are likely a pre-mixed Herbsaint Frappé that may have been marketed through The Old Absinthe House.

Legendre Absinthe Label

Legendre Absinthe Label



The very rare, and short lived Legendre Absinthe label, used only from December 1933, through very early 1934, when the Federal Alcohol Control Administration objected to the use of the word "Absinthe" on the label, and would require Legendre & Co. to change the label. By March 1, 1934 Legendre & Co. would announce the new name, Herbsaint.



Early two piece Legendre Herbsaint label.

The bottom Herbsaint logo was likely added to make the new label stand out, as the Herbsaint logo was transitioned into use in 1934.

A Selection Of Vintage Herbsaint Booklets

A selection of Herbsaint recipe booklets, from 1937 to 1954.





From Left to right, original Legendre Herbsaint recipe booklets, from 1937, 1944, 1949, and 1954.