Junod absinthe carafe

Superb promotional water carafe for Junod absinthe

Circa 1910

Absinthe Junod is a historic absinthe brand born in Pontarlier (Doubs), one of the cradles of the French production of the "Green Fairy."

The Junod Distillery

In 1838, the distiller Henri-Auguste Junod (1802-1870) founded an artisanal absinthe distillery at 24 rue de Besançon in Pontarlier.
It is one of the oldest distilleries in the city.

His son Arthur Junod succeeded him in 1870 and industrialized the business.
In 1907, the grandson Auguste Junod (1877-1927) took over management. Auguste Junod is also known as a pioneer of aviation in Pontarlier: on October 29, 1910, he performed the first motorized flight in the region aboard a Farman III biplane.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the distillery was well-equipped: in 1908, it had 16 stills and produced approximately 10,000 hectoliters of absinthe extract per year.

After the ban

Like most distilleries in Pontarlier, the Junod firm survived the 1915 absinthe ban by diversifying. It launched an anise-flavored aperitif in 1922, but disappeared shortly thereafter.

Absinthe Junod today

The brand was relaunched as a blanche absinthe (uncolored) by the Distillerie Les Fils d’Émile Pernot, located in La Cluse-et-Mijoux, near Pontarlier.

This modern version:

• Generally has an alcohol content of 65% ABV
• Is a classic blanche absinthe, with a well-defined note of absinthe (grand wormwood)
• Is distilled in copper stills
• Was gifted to the nominees of the Oscars in 2020, which earned it the nickname "Absinthe of the stars"

It thus perpetuates the name of one of the old houses of Pontarlier in the contemporary revival of absinthe.