Potent Swiss Liquor Now Available At ABC Stores

By The Continuous News Desk

Published: July 26, 2008

BY TIMOTHY CAMA
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Va. – Now that federal regulators have legalized the sale of absinthe nationwide, Virginia is selling one brand of the highly concentrated liquor in its state-owned stores.

Both of Bristol’s Alcoholic Beverage Control stores now sell Kubler, a Swiss absinthe priced at nearly $60 per liter bottle, said Philip Bogenberger, an ABC spokesman.

The stores are at the Shops at Beaver Creek near Interstate 81’s Exit 7 and on Euclid Avenue near the Tennessee state line.

“Sales have been pretty good so far,” said Doug Lunceford, manager of the Euclid Avenue store.

His store has sold one or two bottles each week since sales began about a month ago.

The federal government banned sales of absinthe 95 years ago, blaming it for hallucinations and psychosis, but most of those claims have been debunked.

Chris Holstege, a medical toxicologist with the University of Virginia Health System, told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk that drinkers ought not to worry about psychological effects of thujone, a chemical in wormwood, which is in absinthe. Thujone was the reason governments throughout North America and Europe banned the drink until recently.

However, the alcohol is quite potent, with an alcohol content of 53 percent by volume. Beer, for example, is typically at 4 percent to 5 percent alcohol.

Holstege warned that drinkers may not be aware of the high alcohol content and may drink too much.

Before consumption, water usually is added to absinthe at a 3-1 ratio, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

ABC considers new products a few times a year, said Bogenberger. Company representatives market the products to the state board, and the board decides which ones to sell.

“Kubler is the top-selling brand in Switzerland,” Bogenberger said, adding that he does not know why the Kubler brand was selected over one other marketed to the board.

ABC will monitor product sales, said Bogenberger, and could decide to stop selling it or to expand its sales to more stores. Currently, about 60 of the 332 stores in the state sell it.

Absinthe is made from alcohol and distilled herbs. The liquor is traditionally green in color, hence the nickname “Green Fairy.” The Kubler brand, however, is transparent.

ABC stores long have sold absenthe, an alcohol that is similar to absinthe but lacks wormwood, Bogenberger noted.

TIMOTHY CAMA is an intern with the Herald Courier and can be reached at or (276) 669-2181.