Pierre Duplais' seminal "Traite de la Fabrication des Liqueurs et de la Distillation des Alcools" is the authoritative French distillation guide. It went through seven editions from 1855 to 1900 and is the basis of our understanding of 19th century French distillation techniques. A single English edition was published in Philadelphia in 1871, translated by M. McKennie. The special section on absinthe is of particular importance - this is our most accurate and comprehensive guide to the recipes and techniques used by late 19th century absinthe distillers, and is informally regarded as the...

Written by David Nathan-Maister, the book surveys the history of absinthe from earliest days right up to the present, with a particular focus on its glittering heyday in Belle Epoque France. Hundreds of full colour illustrations document every aspect of the drink - its distillation and production, the grande marques that distributed it, the bars and cafes that served it, the patrons - men and women, rich and poor, soldiers and politicians, poets, artists, lovers and boulevardiers - who drank it. Special sections describe the various drinking rituals in exhaustive detail, others deal with...