Thanks for the info. I had a suspicion it might have wormwood.

FWIW, their website says it is a mix of distillate and macerate. It also makes the very un-pc claim (perhaps due to bad translation) of boasting that it "quickly becomes habit-forming" and that adding it to cola "makes a well-balanced drink with an added harmless 'high' of its own." LOL! They make it sound like candy, not high-proof booze.

BC

By Absintheur on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 11:31 am: Edit

Artemesia absinthium is one of the primary ingredients in most traditional formulations of Hungarian bitters. They're closely related to Pelinkovac, Croatian bitters, which are thinner in color and consistancy and frequently sweeter.

Unicum is a mascerated product, heavily laden with wormwood for both color and, as horrible as it sounds, flavor. If you ever want to consume a liqueur that is truly heinously bitter Zwack Unicum is a terrific bet.

And, just to observe, as it's always the next question -- both Unicum and Pelinkovac are readily available in the United States even though they're totally saturated (realistically, there is no bound save saturation point) with thujone and bitter absinthins.

By Bob_chong on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 11:11 am: Edit

Hungarian herbal liqueur with many "secret" ingredients. I wonder if wormwood is amongst them.

By Petermarc on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 05:16 am: Edit

sounds like a greek porn-star

By Bob_chong on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 12:28 am: Edit

What is Zwack Unicum all about? Anyone try this liqueur?

BC

By Tabreaux on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 01:45 pm: Edit

I've tried it. It isn't an absinthe substitute, but rather a liqueur in its own right. It is very scented, and I'm afraid that I can't stomach it well. I find it to be somewhat overpowering. Nevertheless, certainly there are those who like to sip it. The protocol for making it is a closely guarded secret, and has been for a very long time.

By Petermarc on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 01:15 pm: Edit

i thought i could jump in with some fascinating
review of an ancient ancestor of absinthe, but
i am stumped...i don't even know how to describe this stuff....71% alcohol, packaged in a 10cl
bottle in a wood case to protect it from sunlight
it is deep forest green, said to be all natural.
does not louche, but if there is a definition of
opalescence, this is it...like a low-grade opal, green and hazy, but not white...the flavor and smell is not like anything (130 plants, it is said)with nothing being obvious, maybe mint, but
not sure...a bizarre drink, like regular chartreuse, but needs sugar..the pamphlet says it
will prolong the healing actions of a vacation
but when compared to la sala, i prefer the la sala
has anyone else tried this? i thought it might be
a substitute for absinthe, but it is not...IMHO