Herbsaint liqueur

Herbsaint is an anise-flavored liqueur that originated in New Orleans. It was created in 1934 by J. M. Legendre, a New Orleans pharmacist who loosely modeled the drink on absinthe, which was prohibited in the US at the time. The liqueur is green and herbaceous, with dominant anise and licorice notes.

The original recipe was tweaked in the 1970s, but Sazerac, the current owner, reintroduced Mr. Legendre’s original in 2010. Both versions are now available. Unlike absinthe, this liqueur was wormwood free, and it has more in common with the French pastis.

Herbsaint was initially named Legendre Absinthe, but Legendre had to remove the absinthe label following government initiative, so the liqueur acquired its current name. This popular liqueur is best known as the ingredient in the legendary Sazerac cocktail.