est. 2007
Survey Results: Absinthe Drinking in the USA
The Absinthe Review Network,
a completely independent, unaffiliated website, has conducted a survey
of 204 absinthe drinkers in the United States during February and March
of 2009. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest public survey
held domestically since absinthe was re-legalized in the USA in 2007.
General Information:
Though conducted during a recession, US consumers are showing their
eager demand for more absinthe with their wallets. Bars, liquor stores,
and online retailers take note; the demand for absinthe is steadily on
the rise. Take full advantage of these findings to determine which
brands are worthy of a place on your crowded shelves.
This research was conducted using an online questionnaire, recruiting
respondents with survey links on The Absinthe Review Network, The
Wormwood Society, MySpace, Facebook, Drink Up New York (newsletter),
Imbibe online, Liquor Snob and several absinthe blogs including Absinthe
Devil and Absinthe Drinkers.
The survey focused primarily on about 20 absinthes that are currently
available in the US. Brands that were available in strictly limited
quantities, or are difficult to obtain due to very centralized
distribution (ie: Trillium, Lemercier) were not included. The average
absinthe drinker had already bought 5.3 different brands of the
US-approved¹ absinthes. 11% of respondents had bought 11 or more
different US-legal brands, while some had bought as many as 19 of these,
in addition to more than 15 brands NOT currently available in the USA.
The average absinthe drinker in the survey buys 14 bottles of absinthe
each year, with 46% buying 1 or more bottles a month. Given that an
individual in the USA drinks on average just 10 bottles of spirits a
year, and that the 14 bottle a year absinthe purchaser ALSO purchases
other spirits, the average absinthe drinker should be a very good target
for those selling liquor.
While retailers have opportunities to sell absinthe to more of their
customers, bar owners have even greater opportunities. 93% of absinthe
drinkers said that they mainly drink absinthe at home or a friend’s home
(this includes dorm rooms). When asked to list all the places that they
EVER drink absinthe, only 29% cited bars or restaurants. Clearly, there
is room for both expansion and improvement in the bar sector. Separate
from the survey have been many complaints of bars grossly inflating
prices and/or capitalizing on the controversial history to sell drinks,
making this a primary factor. If these issues can be addressed, there is
great potential for absinthe becoming commonplace at bars.
On that same note, there is also controversy about how absinthe should
be prepared, with some suggesting that it should be served flamed². In
the TARN survey, 71% said that they drink absinthe with water (with an
optional sugar cube), 32% with water AND ice, 17% as part of a cocktail,
and 9% as a shot. Only 5% drink their absinthe flamed. From this, it
seems that the majority of consumers in the USA are drinking absinthe
responsibly, and primarily for the taste.
Top Brands (Domestic):
The main focus of the survey was about specific absinthe brands,
including both those already in the USA market and those that many
absinthe lovers already buy from abroad. Brands already in the USA
include brands from the original birthplace and capitals of absinthe
(Switzerland and France), as well as several now distilled in the US.
Recognizing that many consumers drink from a repertoire of brands,
respondents were asked to name up to 5 favourites, first from brands
already available domestically, then from a broader list which included
brands not yet available in the US.
Among brands currently available and specified as favourites, Swiss
brands took 3 of the top 4 places. Kübler and La Clandestine took
the top 2 spots, with Duplais tied with Lucid for 3rd. It is interesting
that two “bleues” (clear absinthe) share the lead ahead of the better
known “verte”, or green style of absinthe.
Newcomers compared to absinthe veterans have a good deal of contrast in
their preferred brands. Among those who have tried 3 or fewer brands,
Lucid and Kübler are the favourites. For more experienced absinthe
drinkers, La Clandestine was named the favourite by more respondents than
any other brand, followed in popularity by Kübler, then Duplais.
When respondents were asked to list up to 5 favourites from absinthe brands currently
available for purchase in the USA, these were the top selections:
#1: Kübler
#2: La Clandestine
#3: Lucid and Duplais (tie)
La Clandestine and Kübler were only a single vote apart. Marteau³ and
Vieux Pontarlier followed, although it should be noted that Marteau fared much better among members of the Wormwood Society than
among other drinkers.
La Clandestine has cross-appeal, being popular with both Wormwood
Society members and others. Generally, however, members of the Wormwood
Society did tend to have different preferences, liking La Clandestine,
Marteau, Leopold and Vieux Pontarlier, while non-members enjoyed Kübler,
Lucid and La Clandestine.
MySpace drinkers liked these last 3 absinthes, as well as Mansinthe.
Wormwood Society members were very dismissive of absinthes with
artificial coloring and/or added sugar. Only 1 of 55 members listed
either La Fée Parisienne or Pernod Absinthe as a favourite; not a single
member listed Grande Absente or Le Tourment Vert as a favourite brand.
Even MySpace drinkers, who are largely more “casual” drinkers often less
aware of the quality standard, were only marginally tolerant towards
these brands. Le Tourment Vert, Grande Absente, Pernod and La Fée
absinthe are the offenders, and it shows. There are more respondents
that stated they do not intend to purchase these brands than any other.
Nouvelle-Orléans was launched shortly after the survey started, which
was recognized only within some of the sub-surveys conducted. Based on
this smaller sample, however, Nouvelle-Orléans could well have proven to
be one of the top favourites overall, despite its $110 price tag, had it
had been available from the beginning of the survey.