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Legendre Absinthe was the original name for Legendre Herbsaint, appearing after prohibition was repealed during December 1933.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