Hills Absinth

Hill’s Liquere, Czech Republic

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Radomil Hill – Father of Modern Absinth

5 responses to “Hills Absinth”

DrAbsinthe | April 15, 2007 at 11:46 am | Reply

Hill’s absinthe is a great base for cocktails as well. I don’t know why this is, but I find it mixes very well
absintheur | April 18, 2007 at 4:50 pm | Reply

“Slovo má ještě jednou Ing. Ilona Musialová, která nyní likérku v Jindřichově Hradci vede: “Můj dědeček Albín Hill založil svůj podnik v Brušperku u Opavy v roce 1920. Již v té době vyráběl absint a pokračoval v tom i za německé okupace, kdy byl sice alkohol na lístky, ale nikde nebylo řečeno, kolik procent objemových může mít. Sedmdesátiprocentní absint si zákazník rozředil vodou a měl pomalu jednou tolik vysoce kvalitního pití. Ten absint, který děláme, je z 98 % podle původního dědova receptu, přizpůsobeného současným legislativním požadavkům”
absintheur | May 11, 2007 at 2:39 pm | Reply

Here is a fascinating post about Hill’s absinth from Blog Critics:

My name is Tom Hill related to the Hill family. Hill’s Liquere is a business created by Albin Hill in 1920. His son Radomil Hill who was around his fathers distillery since he was a boy, grew up to go to university to become a master distiller. Czechs were caught in the iron curtain for 40 years. Radomil was employed as a production manager at a state owned distillery. After the 1989 collapse of communism, he resurrected his distillery under the family name Hill’s Liquere.

So that you understand, Radomil was renowned for making high quality alocohol beverages and actually was featured in TIME magazine as one of Europes finest Craftsman. Then he had a request from a customer who was the pub owner in Slavonice to which the Hill’s disillery in Jindrichuv Hradec is close by, to make him Absinth again. He had 7 different old recipes and Albin Hill has been producing Absinth since 1920. During WW2 Hill’s Absinth in Czech became hugely populer due to the ration placed on alcohol products and since Absinth was 70% it was a good deal compared to the same quantity of say 40% vodka. Otherwise the recipe is secret but like people have said no one country can claim the orgination and use of Absinthe. It is an ancient drink.

For people saying it tastes horrible, they usually drink it straight and since it is 70% alchohol they can’t handle it. These people shouldn’t drink such strong drinks because anyone who does has regarded Hill’s as being exceptionally smooth for its high alcohol content. We do have a French Style made using an old French recipes but not many people like it especailly when drinking it straight. Anise is considered a medicine flavor by most people. It is not universally liked. In summary Absinth has ancient beginnings in the whole of Europe. Hill’s Absinth created the new interest in Absinth period. It is made from Artemisia Absinthium (wormwood) and is not a flavoured vodka. The only slight change is less anise which produces less predominate licorish flovour which is what people enjoyed in Czech. Even though there were still producers of Absinth in Spain and Portugal, Hill’s was the choice of an English company Green Bohemia to import and market in the UK. I recommend trying Hill’s using the old method of pouring water over the sugar cube into the Absinth and you will find it quite pleasent and don’t worry about it not turning milky, you don’t have to fool Allah that your drinking milk like Napolian’s muslim soldiers thought!
absintheur | July 26, 2007 at 2:50 pm | Reply

Here’s an interesting observation from a food discussion group (austin.food)

Peter Principle wrote July 12th:

At well over 100 proof, a few drams of Ardbeg Uigeadail or any other cask strength single malt and fried cow pies can start to look pretty good…

Speaking of high proof booze, I picked up a bottle of Czech Abisnth in Prague on my last sojourn across the pond. No, that’s not a misspelling. In Czech there is no “e” on the end.

This is a “Bohemian” style absinthe. It’s *very* different from the French/Swiss/German absinthes. It’s not just flavored with wormwood. It’s distilled entirely from macerated wormwood. As a result it is high in thujone. Alcohol, too. It weighs in at an impressive 140 proof.

Most of the traditional absinthes made these days contain little or no thujone. Some people believe thujone provides a narcotic high, though most dismiss this claim as romantic hogwash. However, it is the presence of thujone that caused absinthe to be banned here and in some other countries.

It is green, but doesn’t cloud when water is added. IOW, no water drip ceremonies. The flavor is more herbal and less anise than the traditional absinthes. Nor is it as sweet as many others.

The Czechs have replaced the water drip with a flaming sugar ceremony. A little absinth is added to sugar cube in a slotted spoon, which is then lit
on fire. When the sugar bubbles and the flames die down, water is poured over the sugar and stirred into the absinth.

As strong as the flavor of Hill’s is, it benefits from a little sugar. But surprisingly, at 140 proof, Hill’s is very smooth.

I’ve been told you can mail order Hill’s for shipment to the US, but I don’t know how or where. I do know you can buy it in Canada. If you’re a fan of exotic booze, you should give it a try.
RJ | July 18, 2010 at 9:11 pm | Reply

I’m diabetic, and I drink it straight with no sugar. I sip it very slowly, taking at least 30-40 minutes for a shot, and it’s very smooth.