Portland Culinary Alliance

PCA members got a taste of some Oregon superlatives at a special Oregon Bounty program August 17 with an emphasis on craft distillers: Oregon has the only distillers guild in the country (17 members so far), Oregon is second only to California in the number of craft distilleries (20 so far), and Portland’s Distillers Row has more distilleries (7) within walking distance of any other neighborhood in the world, and that includes Scotland and Kentucky!

On top of all that, Portland’s Integrity Spirits was just the second distillery in the U.S. to produce absinthe, the mysterious anise flavored drink known as the Green Fairy, after an almost century-long ban was lifted last year.

Integrity Spirits, at Southeast Ninth and Yamhill, hosted the event. Distilleries from all over the state, 12 in all, displayed their spirits and offered tastes of artisan gin, vodka, rum, whisky, liqueur and, of course, absinthe.

After a tour of the distillery to learn something of the distilling process, members and guests sampled a variety of spirits, including some lip-smacking flavored vodkas redolent with the fragrance of berries and herbs.

Absinthe got the most attention, however. We watched as drops of water dripping from an antique water dispenser, made especially for absinthe drinkers, turned the spirit cloudy, or, as the French say, louche. The herbal and licorice fragrance was, well, intoxicating. To finish off the event, chefs from the neighboring Green Dragon Ale House & Bistro served absinthe ice cream with whole cinnamon sticks as spoons.