Chasing the Green Fairy on the French-Swiss Absinthe Route

In this episode of Al-Kee-Hol, we followed our host Dominique Rousake on a trip along the “Route de l’Absinthe”, the beautiful French-Swiss absinthe route, and watched as he learns about the history and effects of absinthe-the potent, anise-flavored spirit that was a favorite of Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, as well as many more artists and thinkers.
Dominique meets up with the owners of French and Swiss distilleries to find out more about the differences between their nations’ varieties of absinthe. They share a few of the stories about how and why absinthe was made illegal-and how people continued to make it anyway. The people who live along the absinthe route are crazy about the "green fairy," and we witness their passion firsthand. The journey traverses snowy hills and vast forests, ending in France, where absinthe was first invented. Here, Dominique tries a meal comprised of mostly absinthe ingredients.
More Al-Kee-Hol:
Craft Beer in Japan - bit.ly/Craft-Beer-Japan
Getting to Know Golden - bit.ly/Getting-Golden
Exploding Sake For Breakfast - bit.ly/Exploding-Sake
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[@Vulpiq]

This host is awesome, he has a very calm and clear style which is very refreshing compared to other hosts who are trying to be funny every second.

[@brokenrecord3523]

I'm sure the germans have a word for it, where you're so cool that you can't even be bothered by your coolness.

[@tiberiu_nicolae]

Yes, very d8fferent from those artificially upbeat hosts trying to convince you everything they say is the most awesome thing in the world.

[@SV8812]

The "sobriety" prank on host...lol classic. Overall awesome episode.

[@tomdecock6027]

I love the Swiss, their open mind and friendlyness, being a multi-lingual country just lovely. Kind regards, A Belgian guy

[@marcok]

Philippe Martin and Dominique form a real cool and calm duo. Like their energy

[@uglydrummer.]

Watching this while drinking absinthe myself. A good piece of documentary with a good drink, can't beat it.

[@cxsey8587]

Why is this man so smooth? XD

[@francisajax6549]

Casey Morar - smooth?! Prolly because of the wormwood

[@alansmithee4895]

...absinthe

[@emanonymous]

im a former sommelier and liquor enthusiast and ive always been hesitant to try absinthe because of the rumors but this has really inspired me. thanks vice

[@ds37]

I'm from the french-swiss part of Switzerland and I study in the State of Neuchatel where the Val de Travers is located and never knew about how important Absinthe was for them and Switzerland in general. I feel quite ashamed.

[@EmaRooksy]

Oh My Lord, the best part was the 'sobriety test' with the little toy. So clever. Only time the host livened up.

[@yasssgawwwd5643]

I’m so thankful for this video because I have a very new found passion for absinthe 🤩🙌❤️And It excites me. Funny thing is I don’t like alcohol 🥃 🍺 and I don’t drink because I never fell in love with “drinking” but I believe absinthe could really help me discover a historical liking that so many people fell in love with. I recall Egyptians drinking a form of absinthe and I also recall absinthe named as “drink of the gods”.

[@kkkkkk6570]

well thujone + alcohol is quite different than only alcohol. many cultures mixed other psychoactives with their booze, everything from mundane things like hops in beer to hallucinogens like henbane or willka (anandenanthera colubrina iirc)

[@jeantv1996]

This episode was really interesting! The host was very good too!

[@danielpletikosic9021]

Man I want to drink with this guy he looks cool and chill to hang out!

[@zguy95135]

I like this host, do more episodes with him

[@minimalistinlife]

Great host I liked him so much. Mellow yet competent like hell. Awesome.

[@nephildevil]

They have free absinthe bottles along hiking tracks to mix with spring water there? what? :p Maybe it is time I visit Suisse again :D

[@captainfoxheart]

he's so entertaining to watch I can listen to him talk all day he's interesting too. :)

[@evad.7913]

Great host!

[@BlueHokage]

Love that little Citroen/Rolls analogy

[@johndawson3216]

really cool host please vice more of him!

[@TheMidoriDreams]

More Absinthe stuff, please! 🤩🙏

[@hoopsfan2438]

The host looks a little like Gus from Breaking Bad, haha

[@lucaviallibeats]

More like his and Charlie Runkle's son

[@NighteeeeeY]

DUDE HE IS FUCKING GUS FRING!!!

[@EricWW2]

Chocolate Rain

[@christopherpugmire2969]

Jeff Goldblum is looking good these days. Must be all that absinthe.

[@fredooor]

Toller Beitrag, bin begeistert!

[@ChompChain]

Awesome (to me, as a North American) how he's seamlessly switching between French and German.

[@SAINTSABINAPSYCHEDELIA]

Finally somebody complementing his language skills!!! Most people are on the stranger danger trip, hating because they can't understand... narrow-minded effers.... the dude is cool as shit

[@mojosodopeMD]

He spoke German throughout

[@ChompChain]

***** He speaks some French when he visited the chocolate shop, but obviously he prefers German

[@Inspiredtoblog]

The Bread Boy I was so confused as to what he was speaking overall, cause I knew at some points it wasn't French.

[@Mp57navy]

The Bread Boy Yeah, he's talking a decent french. I think he had a slight accent tho.

[@abeldiaz4514]

Got a bottle of that Swiss, superb.

[@alexguerrero2772]

does anyone else notice how his left eye moves while his right just stays still?

[@tubejeh11]

Really interesting episode with a very good host, thanks Vice!

[@sezjames2472]

this was awesome!

[@_conrad]

again, great episode

[@KayGasnerKGDESIGNS]

Wonderful, enjoyed this video very much--thank you ;-)

[@evelynmerchant3420]

This was amazing!

[@RanochVTX]

Very nice piece. Loved it.

[@MacTwiggles]

i dont know what these people have, i like the host

[@basclips01]

Enjoyed this

[@alljarod]

Munchies Go to Cognac, france and do an episode on cognac.

[@christopherpugmire2969]

absolument!

[@markjames2164]

I'd live to do this I'm a big absinthe fan and drinker

[@NN-DMT]

I enjoyed this.

[@TheMidoriDreams]

I always come back for the "Phhh, stark Alter! Viel zu stark" ("Man, that's strong. Way to strong") - scene 😂😌👌

[@LorisRavera]

Please put up tracklists for your shows! Good music selection

[@robbydiesel21]

good vid vice, ive always wanted to try absinthe

[@billmaries]

Great 👍 enjoyed that

[@ChubbsRN]

This was a great video

[@yuting13mizu]

The music is rockin' in this episode :D What's playing at 12:38 and 13:09?

[@dianacastillo3897]

Nice video very informative

[@misterkaos.357]

The only thing better than absinthe is absinthe with weed

[@FelixWheatfield]

The Charles Baudelaire signature!

[@MeridianPanther]

Does anyone know what kind of fountain that is I'm attempting to purchase one but dont know the proper name to find one? Thanks in advance

[@peanuthuddleston8861]

I like when he says too strong way too strong , better...

[@darrelcdammann]

I need to go there👍

[@PHILIPP2787]

Is his right eye fake? It doesnt move like the left one

[@Thefastlane425]

I was thinking that every goddamn second of this episode

[@stripymccatpuss]

Nah, his great great grandfather was the cookie monster

[@lestudio76]

What the hell difference does it make?

[@TZ4789]

***** ty, you made my day

[@stripymccatpuss]

TZ4789 :)

[@maxguitarhero]

Dude how did they get a Death Ray Scientific song for the background music starting at 2:25 or so?

[@matthewlee2404]

What exactly was the windmill?

[@lixibao]

He pulled off that prank so well. Haha. Was there like a hole he had covered or something to keep it from blowing back on him?

[@dons731]

First?!! Thx vice for entertaining the masses !!

[@benmoro]

does he have a lazy eye or is it the absinthe?

[@erikengberg1344]

i do believe it may be a glass eye

[@damohr69]

thank you!! im not the only one..

[@francisajax6549]

It might prolly be the wormwood that makes you cross eyed

[@jlgmentorshipLLC]

How rude!!

[@unusualsuspect1262]

The glass eye doesnt move ?

[@trojanshawaii]

his wondering left eye trips me out lol

[@clare344]

6:50 left eye shows it has mind of its own! D:

[@benjaminpauley7823]

anyone know some of the brands of absinthe he is drinking during this video?

[@TheMidoriDreams]

First one is "La Valote Martin", second one is "Kübler" and the last one is the "Guy distillery", which is my personal favorite!

[@shawnhamlin5963]

I will learn to speak German in my next life, which will start in just over three months.

[@TheMidoriDreams]

R.I.P

[@user-fm3so4hp2t]

Could you add Japanese subtitles to this video?

[@bossman674]

So this year the hype is Absinthe then...

[@Elbergarlarga]

I've always wanted to try Absinthe, but I heard that the shit that's legal in America is a watered down version of the real thing. So I'm going to wait till I visit a country that doesn't act like a complete bitch, to try it. I hope the wormwood helps me see things you don't normally see, vivid colors, shadows, black people raising their kids etc. If anyone has tried the authentic green fairy, please let me know your experience.

[@KingDennisJensen]

Yeah, in America and Canada the stuff that they sell at the liquor store is absolute garbage. I'm Hungarian and drank it many times with friends. It's a little strong by itself hence the usage of water and sugar (in some countries) But the drunk off it is quite nice. Very different from others.

[@damianson]

"..olors, shadows, black people raising their kids etc" lmao, omg I had to reread that. nice one.

[@Thefastlane425]

That is the funniest thing I've heard in months

[@Elbergarlarga]

Keety Kardashian that's not deal breaker.

[@Dominikmj]

TheMexikingisback2 It is not only in the US where you get bad absinthes. Even in Europe there are a lot of brands around, which don't use the proper method of macerating and distilling, but just use high proof alcohol, oils of herbs [e.g. wormwood] and artificial color. Unfortunately absinthe doesn't have an organization behind it, which controls what you can call absinthe and what not. However it is quite easy to find good absinthes - you can use the internet to find information. Usually bohemian style absinthe [Absinthe made or in the style of Czech products, there absinthe was never banned] are crap. Also look out for extremely high proof absinthe [anywhere around 80%] - these are usually not authentic. The US has pretty much the best selection of spirits anywhere in the world - so you definitely find good absinthes - either way imported or domestically produced. However if you are buying cheap absinthe, it is very likely that you get a not authentic absinthe. Unfortunately the price for authentic absinthes are on a higher note....

[@coolement94]

LoL, his eyes are going crazy!

[@KingDennisJensen]

Real Absinthe with wormwood in it is quite interesting. Stumbled across a bottle in Serbia and bribed a bartender to buy the whole bottle. Drank it with friends and it was the most strange drunk/high I've ever felt.

[@delusionnnnn]

All in your imagination. The ingredient thujone is at low enough levels that in order to get high off it, you'd be long, long dead of alcohol poisoning well before that happened. Enjoy it for what it is, not for a long-debunked rumour.

[@KingDennisJensen]

Yeah that might of been it. Placebo effect. Nonetheless, it was great.

[@delusionnnnn]

KingDennisJensen I'm a fan, too. I have a few bottles from before it was legal here, as a gift.

[@iMertin90]

Haha when I was younger me and my mate drank straight absinthe and it fucked me up surprised I’m no dead

[@xemnas7777777]

Did someone look in his eyes? It is possible that he have a eye of glas?

[@will16320]

This presenter has a great temperament

[@shepp765]

am i the only one who noticed ones his eyes moves by it self??

[@hunby5049]

I'm fairly certain his right eye is glass

[@francisajax6549]

I dunno im drinking absinth while im watching this.. i see fairies

[@pdebuck1]

im with u bro

[@viictor1309]

J'habite en France et je n'ai malheureusement jamais trouvé de l'absinthe ici :( mis à part une fois à Carrefour mais ce n'était aucunement quelque chose digne de son nom...

[@TheMidoriDreams]

I don't know where you live exactly but Google is your friend ;-). If you are in Paris you can find a lot of good absinthes. Of course you could also visit the french part of the "Route de 'l'Absinthe" (Pontarlier, Fougerolles, Les Fourgs, La Cluse-et-Mijoux). 😉🙏

[@sirgarfield2005]

My bro would like that windmill test

[@samanders8274]

I was pleased about the documentation , The first image of the docu shows the absynth from Kübler which is based in Neuchatel and I drank it yesterday evening ;-) . You can get it in every supermarket in Switzerland. The host is boring as hell, but the topic is cool. He should have asked the locals in Val the Travers to get him some real Absynth with high Thujon content above 35mg per litre. Sadly Absynth with high Thujon is nowadays still illegal, but sometimes you get some locals who make it.

[@pdebuck1]

thank you sam. finally someone is contributing to this hellhole of a comment section

[@TheMidoriDreams]

You don't know what you're talking about...😌

[@basspro373]

He truly has one leaning twords the liquor store.

[@jakebutler1095]

How is this guy not on the floor by now I don't know how much time has elapsed between him going to the distillery for the tasting than to the restaurant for another drink but if it's like within an hour or two this dude is hardcore I've never known an absinthe to be less than 50 percent if he's actually finishing those glasses him and Keith Richards need to chill lol

[@wagnerwei]

👍🍻

[@TheCrazyBoar]

100 % Hipster aber auch 100 % lustig XD

[@ieprince]

Does Swiss sound similar to German? It sounds like the is mixing multiple langues like French, German, and Swiss.

[@boutek]

Rob TheSinner The "Swiss" that sounds similar to German is German. Most people in Switzerland speak German.

[@ivanttosuckyourblood]

On this episode of Punkt...

[@PinoySoshi]

lmao this guy watered down the vodka xD

[@raidddesign]

SERIOUSLY WTF. i can speak and read german and french but i alway read the subtitles. why doni do this :)

[@basspro373]

That dude is Kool, but I just saw one of his eyes move and the other stayed still.

[@mcmh9523]

Pretty sure he has a glass eye

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

😂😂😂 Oh absinthe...even the MC already trippin balls after 2nd glass

[@d0devig530]

Did anyone else notice the fake eye? His right one.

[@ortem000]

More Dominique Rousake puh-leez.....

[@vincecallagher7636]

Some would have not taken the practical joke so well

[@nana-hi2xu]

a little confused. he just said that distilled fluid is always clear then he said swiss absinthe gets its color through distillation??

[@adrial1997]

He meant the color after they added water, the grayish blue they talked about :)

[@EJericjackson]

I fucking Love absinthe, may have been invented by the swiss, but the french perfected it. hands down. oh and the czech absinthe? dont drink that garbage XD

[@francisajax6549]

His lazy eye came from drinking too much methanol paralyzing the optic nerve of his left eye

[@owned2easy]

12:43 lmao

[@Eonargalaa]

yall know whats eyeglasses hes wearing?

[@Gunzoid033]

There's so many fun hosts on vice, ones that MAKE the show- the Basque collection was amazing! This guy did not make me want to keep watching

[@Gentledudy]

Der Typ redet als ob er ständig einen im Kahn hat...ist wahrscheinlich auch so xD

[@TheJusnic82]

this makes me deff think the absinthe im drinking here is complete shite

[@Lotrfan99]

The Green Fairy stuff is utter nonsense. Any craziness while drinking absinthe is a direct result of the fact that you're drinking a very high percentage alcohol (54-90%). There's no psychoactive effects. I've drunk plenty of absinthe. It has to be enjoyed and not chugged.

[@kkkkkk6570]

thujone 😃

[@DeusUsus]

Interesting to watch, but the way guy keeps smacking his lips is so annoying.

[@dk038967]

not even a word of Liquorice. it all tastes like that.

[@coasternut3091]

+Atoir Mitrousers Anise is that taste

[@boutek]

Shadow 3091 And fennel.

[@winegames604]

I am austrian, so i speak german as my native language. this guy sounds, all through the documentary, bored , slightly aggrovated and aloof. and in the interview at min 10 hes just stoned. cmon vice please do better in the european sector. europe needs you. thank you p

[@skaybestrog]

I'm German and to me he just sounds a little tired, maybe even somewhat nervous. Maybe you're reading too much into it?

[@brittanykremer4548]

Not gus at all

[@egghead2048]

again a hipster , but this time with a twist, hes black.

[@juanluishuertavivar1113]

This guy makes the doc boring and with out any real spicy on the Content.

[@billyboy8888]

wtf is this? german+french+random english?????

[@LouTheLoo]

Don't ever let this guy host again.

[@_conrad]

shut up

[@TheDoubledshing]

This guy is great. 😊 👌

[@mentalmetal1]

yeah right? you almost lost your hard on for that vulgar oompaloompa Andy Milonakis. almost.

[@logontomyface]

***** i think so

[@HyperHorse]

+Rest In Void You cannot be talking about Charlotte...