Twin Legendre Absinthe Bottles

Two surviving Legendre Absinthe bottles from the earliest days of Legendre & Co.
A very rare find.

Legendre Absinthe was the original name for Legendre Herbsaint, appearing after prohibition was repealed during December 1933.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

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 surviving Legendre Absinthe Booklet from the Sazerac Co. collection.

 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...

Early Legendre Herbsaint

One of the earliest 1934 Legendre Herbsaint bottles known to exist, this early pint bottle dates from the time period of the name change from Legendre Absinthe, to Legendre Herbsaint.

Yochim Absinthe

The third installment of our look at New Orleans distillers is J. C. Yochim, who like L.E. Jung & Wulff was founded in the late 1800s.

Following the repeal of prohibition, J.C. Yochim sold their Cordiale D' Absinthe for a very short period post prohibition.

Pictured below is a surviving J.C. Yochim Cordiale D' Absinthe bottle.

Keep following, as we go into greater detail of Absinthe in New Orleans.

L.E. Jung & Wulff Absinthe

New Orleans distiller L. E. Jung & Wulff produced absinthe in New Orleans before the 1912 ban on producing absinthe in the USA. 

 For a very brief time following the repeal of prohibition, L. E. Jung & Wulff produced approx. 1500 cases of absinthe until ordered to cease production by the F.A.C.A in early 1934.

The bottle shown below is in the collection of the Absinthe Museum of America.

Legendre Absinthe

December 1933, following the repeal of prohibition, New Orleans pharmacist, J. Marion Legendre brought Legendre Absinthe to market.

Shortly after the release of Legendre Absinthe, the Federal Alcohol Control Administration would require Legendre & Company to remove the word absinthe from the label of their new product, and by Mar 1st 1934 Legendre Herbsaint would become The New Name For Legendre Absinthe.