Legendre Absinthe and Legendre New Orleans Bitters

A pair of rarities from the the early days of Legendre & Co., a unused invoice form for Legendre Absinthe, which was only used for a very short time from Dec. 1933, to the first two months of 1934.

The other striking find is a handwritten note by J.Marion Legendre, on how to make Legendre New Orleans Bitters, which were Legendre & Co. version of Peychaud's Bitters.

Legendre Absinthe Booklet

With the Dec 1933 post prohibition launch of Legendre Absinthe, J. Marion Legendre would issue his first promotional booklet 25 Ways to Enjoy Legendre Absinthe.

Collection of Legendre Absinthe bottles and booklet.

The Legendre Absinthe booklet contained a historical background on absinthe and cocktail recipes to introduce and reassure the public, that Legendre Absinthe was a delicious and safe beverage to consume during the immediate post prohibition days.

 

 

The Legendre Absinthe Labeling, and promotional booklet would only last a few short months in early 1934, before the Federal Alcohol Control Administration would require Legendre & Co. to remove the word Absinthe from their product.
J. Marion Legendre would quickly adopt the name Legendre Herbsaint, The New Name for Legendre Absinthe. 

#herbsaint #absinthe #legendreabsinthe #neworleansabsinthe #absinthehistory

Drinking Absinthe at The Old Absinthe House 1909

A recent addition to our collection is this vintage postcard of the The Old Absinthe House, sent May 1st, 1909.

The front of the postcard is a fairly common image, but what was written on the back, was quite interesting as the text reads: "Absinthe is a great French drink, this is the only place in this country where they drip it, Holes are worn in the marble, an inch deep." 








#absinthe #oldabsinthehouse #neworleansabsinthe

Returning With New Herbsaint Finds

We will be posting again regularly.
Quite a bit of historical information, and several new finds took place while we were busy with real life.

Stay Tuned...

#herbsaint
#legendreherbsaint
#sazerac

Legendre's Drugstore

The Legendre Building at 122-126 Barrone, in New Orleans, which still stands today was the location of Legendre's Drug Store, as well as the headquarters of Legendre & Co. during the early years of Legendre Herbsaint production.

A few Legendre's Drugstore Items, which include an interior shot of Legendre's Drugstore, from an early 1900s advertisement.

A small selection of Legendre's Drugstore bottles in our Collection. 

Legendre & Co. pharmaceutical label for medicinal Wormwood.
The French term for Wormwood would later become a famous Trade Name for Legendre Herbsaint. 

During Prohibition, Legendre's Drugstore would have one of the largest federal permits to dispense prescription alcohol. 

Below, an example of some surviving prescription documents from Prohibition Era Legendre's Drugstore that reside in our collection.

The front of Legendre's Drugstore / Legendre Bldg. in the late 1950s

The window of Legendre's Drugstore around 1948 or 1949, 

Look at what is in the window. 

#herbsaint

#absinthe

#legendreabsinthe

#neworleansabsinthe

#absinthehistory

The New Orleans Absinthe Manufacturers Association

Following the repeal of prohibition, three New Orleans distillers, L.E Jung & Wulff, Yochim Brothers, and the newest addition Legendre & Company, would each release their own absinthe type spirits.

To shorten a very complicated story, that we will return to in the future, these three distillers would form an association to promote their unique spirits, and dispel the myths surrounding absinthe.

Stay tuned, in the near future we will discuss some interesting findings on this part of New Orleans Absinthe History...

80 Years of Legendre Herbsaint

March 1st 1934, Legendre Absinthe is renamed Legendre Herbsaint.

March 1st, 2014, Herbsaint celebrates 80 years of being The Spirit of New Orleans.

Happy Birthday Herbsaint!

Early 1934 Herbsaint Items

A little grouping of 1934 Legendre Herbsaint items, including the earliest known '34 Herbsaint pint bottle, a '34 Herbsaint Mini, a 1934 Legendre Herbsaint Booklet,25 Ways of Enjoying Herbsaint and an unused 1934 Herbsaint label date stamped June '34, by the Indiana Liquor Control Board.

The Sazerac Gift Shop

Over a dozen years ago I encountered an image of a 1930s Legendre Herbsaint poster, its subject was the classic Herbsaint Frappé, with the now famous line:

“At The Close Of The Day, Drink An Herbsaint Frappé, Legendre Herbsaint, Always Served When Absinthe Is Called For”.
The vintage Herbsaint frappé poster was the inspiration for a fascinating journey discovering the history of Legendre Herbsaint.

 The original Herbsaint advertising images are both unique and quite rare, with originals being almost impossible to find.

The Sazerac Company has gone into their amazing archive of vintage Herbsaint images, and now has available, four reproductions of vintage Herbsaint posters, available to the public for the first time in over 70 years.

Stop by the Sazerac Company’s new online shop, and pick up a set of Legendre Herbsaint posters, and while there check out their other Herbsaint items, and don’t forget to check out the other fine Sazerac products available on their new site.

http://www.thesazeracgiftshop.com/

Vintage Herbsaint Posters

The New Orleans Absinthe Manufacturers Association

A quick iPhone photo to preview a coming attraction.
The New Orleans Absinthe Manufacturers Association.

Below are the three New Orleans distillers that formed The New Orleans Absinthe Manufacturers Association.

Three rare survivors...

Happy New Year! from the Legendre Absinthe twins

To celebrate the coming New Year, we present for your viewing pleasure.
Two Legendre Absinthe bottles!

Legendre Absinthe was the original name for Legendre Herbsaint, appearing after prohibition was repealed during December 1933.

Below is a billboard on Canal St. in New Orleans, Dec. 1933 announcing Legendre Absinthe.

 

A very early poster for Legendre Absinthe, from the Sazerac Co. archives.

With Legendre Absinthe,  J. Marion Legendre had an advantage over his other competitors in the spirits industry, Legendre Absinthe did not need years of barrel aging like other spirits, so J.M. Legendre was able to have Legendre Absinthe bottled and ready for sale during the first month of repeal.

Below is a Newspaper ad for Legendre & Co., Dec. 31, 1933.

A very Rare Legendre Absinthe drink recipe booklet from the Sazerac Co. archives.

Unfortunately for Legendre & Co., the Federal Alcohol Control Administration would be unprepared to regulate the spirits industry, and properly deal with the rush of business during the early days of repeal, and by the first few months of 1934, the Federal Alcohol Control Administration, would require that Legendre & Co. remove the word absinthe from the label.

Legendre & Co. was not the only New Orleans distiller caught up in the post prohibition legal confusion, regarding absinthe, two other old time New Orleans distillers would also find that they too, would have to remove the word absinthe from their labeling of their products.

We will talk more about this in the coming days...
Stay Tuned & Happy New Year!

Repeal at The Old Absinthe House Dec. 5, 1933

December 5, 1933 Repeal of Prohibition is celebrated at The Old Absinthe House, as documented by a recent postal card find.

It is quite interesting to see the writer celebrating repeal at The Old Absinthe House, and mentioning "You Have No Idea What Absinthe Does To The Soft Southern Drawl".

One might wonder whether it was left over pre-ban absinthe, or perhaps some of Mr. Legendre's early product to toast the end of prohibition.

It must have been quite an evening...

Mid 1950s Herbsaint fullsize and pint bottles

Pictured are two mid 1950s Legendre Herbsaint bottles, the standard full size bottle, and the less common pint bottle.

We will have more and better photos up soon, after the holidaze!




We will have an extraordinary new addition to showcase very soon, stay tuned to see a very rare Legendre & Co. find profiled that one won't see everyday.

Early 1934 Legendre Herbsaint Bottle

This early 1934 Legendre Herbsaint pint bottle, dates from the the period of time when Legendre & Co. changed the name of Legendre Absinthe, to Legendre Herbsaint.

This unique early Herbsaint bottle used a different bottle for a short period until 1935, when Legendre & Co. would adopt a pint bottle that matched the full sized Herbsaint bottles, with a raised circular area to hold the Legendre & Co. seal of quality.

Back label:

A few new finds to be posted soon...

We have been rather busy lately, and have acquired some new additions which we will post shortly, ranging from two recently found Legendre's Drugstore bottles. and a couple of major Legendre Herbsaint finds, that are quite stunning.

Watch for new photos shortly...till then, stay tuned!

A quick preview:

Legendre Absinthe

December 5, 1933 Prohibition is repealed, within a matter of days, J. Marion Legendre would receive one of the first rectifiers permits issued in the south, and Legendre Absinthe is born.

Below is an original Legendre Absinthe bottle, from the earliest days of Legendre & Co.

 

A December 1933 newspaper ad for Legendre Absinthe.

1940s Legendre Herbsaint Intact Bottles

A pair of unopened 1940s full size Legendre Herbsaint bottles, double the fun to look at, and to taste very soon.

 Below: Two 120 proof Legendre Herbsaint Mini Bottles still holding their natural green color.

A Glass of Herbsaint: The Herbsaint Frappé

 This is a very small excerpt from an extensive future article on the Herbsaint Frappé.
Just a small preview...Stay Tuned...

The Herbsaint Frappé is the signature Herbsaint cocktail appearing in all Herbsaint advertisements from the very beginning as the Legendre Absinthe Frappé, to the modern era of Herbsaint Original.

The Herbsaint Frappé has it's roots in the old New Orleans tradition of the Absinthe Frappé, as the perfect absinthe cocktail for the hot humid climate of New Orleans. A Frappé is an iced drink usually made with cracked, or crushed ice, that often has a thin icy coating on the outside of the glass.  Absinthe Frappés were a tradition in New Orleans where people would enjoy a tall cold Absinthe Frappé as the evening met the day, and as a Sunday Morning After eye opener from the week end revelry.

Once again, with the return of Herbsaint Original, one can recall the old New Orleans tradition of: At The Close Of The Day, Drink An Herbsaint Frappé, Legendre Herbsaint, Always Served When Absinthe Is Called For.

1933 Legendre Absinthe Frappé

Here is a nice variation on the traditional Herbsaint Frappé, presenting the December1933 Legendre Absinthe Frappé.
Appearing on an early promotional poster announcing Legendre Absinthe, December 1933, during the short few months, until the FACA required Legendre & Co. to remove the word absinthe from the label.

1933 Legendre Absinthe Frappé.

Fill large glass with shaved ice
One Teaspoon Benedictine
Two Tablespoons Legendre Absinthe (Use 2009 Herbsaint Original)
Four Tablespoons of water

Cover Glass with a shaker and shake until frosted-strain into
small glass and serve.