As some of you might remember, salsa posted link on feeverte to his absinthe google map, which was a great idea. However the last update of it was on the 11th of April 2008, and the last stamp of Salsa's Absinthe Blargh is on the 13th of May 2009. Is this guy still around?
So I did some copy & paste (sort of =) and created my own absinthe google map. Some places were updated, some places were added and some places are also waiting to get their map pins.
I'm sure there are lots of places related to absinthe, which I don't know about. So I'm asking you if you could provide your own suggestions. Of course, by "absinthe related place" I don't mean every bar, where they serve Hills, this way Prague would have more map points than whole world. Also I didn't check all the places salsa was referring to, so if you've got the time, you can check some of it, if it's still absinthe related.
And here it is -
Absinthe Google Map.
Salsa is still around on Facebook, but isn't nearly as active as he was on the absinthe forums and blogs. Many of the outlets on his list came from a blog article I wrote in 2007 pre-US launches.
You need to define a few things first ...
1. What is the purpose of your map?
There are now thousands of outlets in the US stocking absinthe. Hundreds in Canada (based on the Canadian Taboo and Pernod absinthes). Hundreds in UK (based on La Fée), Spain, and Italy. Supermarket chains in France and Switzerland stock absinthe. Excluding Czech Republic, Russia etc, but based on a liberal idea of what absinthe is, I'd say there could be 10,000 - 20,000 outlets selling absinthe globally.
So you need to define if your map is going to focus on quantity. Do you want a list of all the outlets selling Lucid, La Fée and Pernod? Or do you want a list of outlets where there is a good selection?
2. Then you need to define what you mean by absinthe.
If you use the Tits definition, your task will be much easier ...
Good points.
1. What is the purpose of your map? - To know where to go on holiday.
There are many examples when somebody travels to certain city and asks: "Is there any absinthe?"
2. Then you need to define what you mean by absinthe. - The authentic good absinthe. Oil mixes, macerated only and liqueurs should be excluded, or else, as you wrote, we'd have thousands of "absinthe related places". In Czech, for instance, we don't have such variety of places where we could buy good absinthe, but we have many places with crapsinthe though.
Tits definition?
1. Where to go on holiday:
Assuming in all cases you want to be able to buy or drink a good selection (10 or so products), and not just 1/2 brands.
The bigger cities in the USA, especially East and West Coasts. In NY and LA, you will be able to find 20 or more absinthes.
Add Astor Wines (NY), Hi-Time (LA), K & L (3 in California), Jug Shop in San Francisco, Binny's in Chicago. Maybe others here can add details for Seattle and DC?
Montreal (soon you will be able to get Taboo, Kubler and La Clandestine and a few oil mixes/macerates: not a big choice yet, but better than elsewhere in Canada)
London (not a great range apart from the shops on Salsa's list)
Paris, Antibes, Nice, Marseille (2/3 shops in Paris, 1 in each of the others).
Barcelona (Spirits Corner)
Lisbon (1/2 shops only)
Brussels and Namur (bars with the biggest absinthe ranges in the world but a lot of brands you know from Prague already)
Amsterdam (not high quality, but you may be able to buy Helfrich still)
Berlin, Heidelberg (1 shop in each)
Stockholm
Switzerland (Absinthe Heaven ... but you knew that already!)
1 shop in Poland
Tokyo
Sydney
1 restaurant in Singapore
After that, the list dwindles quite quickly, and it becomes easier to say where not to go!
2. The Tits (Bogumil) definition? Another thread needed ...
It should be somewhere, I have posted it several times in various places, it won't disappear, hehe
We've currently got
over 60 cities with multiple entries in our Absinthe Around the World section. Feel free to note them.
(11-23-2009 06:56 AM)Alan Wrote: [ -> ]2. The Tits (Bogumil) definition? Another thread needed ...
It is
here
But maybe another thread is to be started, so it doesn't get lost.
Nice map Habu. Found some places to check out.
Nice start. I would have liked to check out the Lisbon spot but after the flight across through Frankfort we were exhausted. One thing on the Frankfort airport, avoid it. Damn thing goes on forever.
Yeah. Frankfurt is a pain in the ass.
Yes, I agreed to this views, It is a very crowded Air port, I had a Couple of bad Experience at this Place.
Google map always to be a hot Topics, It is nice to have a 60 Cities with a Multiple Entries.
Habu, you're just always busy, aren't you? If there's ever an absinthe crisis, I can imagine you roaming the globe in a caped outfit solving problems.
Seriously though, this is great work, well done. Your list of contributions is ever growing, my friend.