Clandestine Absinthe is bootleg Absinthe that has been distributed over the Black Market during the time of Absinthe prohibition.

Absinthe was prohibited and made illegal in France, Switzerland and several other countries in th early 1900s after becoming a popular liquor since its creation at the turn of the 19th century.

Absinthe ended up being especially popular with the Bohemian art set in the Montmartre area of Paris buy-absinthe.com. Artists and writers such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway have been all devotees of the Green Fairy, as Absinthe is typically known.

Anti-alcohol campaigners did start to paint a poor picture of Absinthe during the late 19th century and early 20th century, blaming it for France's growing problems with alcoholism and declaring that the chemical substance thujone (from wormwood) was psychoactive and was having psychedelic consequences. Many said that if Absinthe isn't banned then France will be a nation of mad, insane people. Absinthe was even held accountable for an alcoholic murdering his family regardless that he had been drinking other spirits right after the Absinthe. Absinthe was banned and prohibition began.

Clandestine Absinthe in Switzerland

During prohibition, there was obviously still a market for Absinthe and in Switzerland bootleg distillers still created and sold Absinthe. Switzerland was home to Absinthe. It is claimed that Absinthe was made by a doctor, Pierre Ordinaire, being a tonic for his patients in 1789 in the Swiss town of Couvet in the Val de Travers, the Swiss Jura. In time, Couvet took over as the Swiss capital of Absinthe creation and was obviously badly impacted by prohibition. One distiller, Claude-Alain Bugnon, is considered to have went on distilling Absinthe and distilled it using a recipe of another bootleg distiller Charlotte Vaucher. The Val de Travers was well known for its wonderful bootleg Absinthe.

Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s but legalization in Switzerland didn't happen until 2005. Claude-Alain Bugnon immediately applied for a license to market Absinthe and was the first distiller to become granted a license for Absinthe production in Switzerland.

Claude-Alain Bugnon's business, Artemisia-Bugnon distilleries now produce various sorts of Absinthe:-
- The well-known La Clandestine Originale - This Absinthe is an excellent premium La Bleue, 53% ABV (alcohol by volume). It is a clear Absinthe within a blue bottle and a few people claim that it got its name from the blue reflections observed if the Absinthe louches.
- La Capricieuse - This Absinthe was created to satisfy the taste for pre-prohibition stronger Absinthe and it has an ABV of 72%.
- Recette Marianne - This Absinthe was produced to be sold to the French market which has strict Fenchone regulations and does not allow bottles labeled Absinthe to be distributed. Fenchone is the essential oil of fennel and is also considered to be psychoactive. This liquor is 55% ABV and won the renowned Golden Spoon Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
- La Clandestine Originale Alcool du Vin - A distillation of La Clandestine Originale having a wine base.
- Angelique Verte Suisse - Produced for people who want their Absinthe to be slightly more bitter also to have the traditional green color. The stunning label on this bottle is the same as antique labels depicting the Green Fairy.

The Artemisia-Bugnon uses herbs grown in your community like grande and petite Artemisia Absinthium (wormwood), hyssop and lemon balm to flavor its anise flavored liquor click this link. No artificial colors or additives are utilized and many discuss about the Absinthes using a "bouquet" of Alpine meadows, of honey and flowers.

The Clandestine Absinthe of the Artemisia-Bugnon distillery can be obtained to buy on their web shop but if you intend to try your hand at creating your own personal Absinthe comprising wormwood then you can definitely use the essences from AbsintheKit.com to create your individual premium Absinthe.