Gold-plated Lady Absinthe Fountain With 2 Faucets - Unboxing & Review

My Golden Absinthe Fountain Has Arrived, and It’s a Beauty!

I’m an absinthe fanatic and a restaurateur. I love fine spirits in general, but there’s something about absinthe that puts in on another level.

Perhaps it’s the spirit’s history during the Belle Epoque, the great French thinkers and artists gathering around an absinthe fountain to share stories and finding inspiration in one another.

Perhaps it’s absinthe’s modern history, the worldwide bans, the claims of it being a dangerous hallucinogenic (it’s not), and its glorious comeback.

It’s probably absinthe’s taste what lured me, and the surrounding traditions. No other spirit needs so much attention; no other needs to be diluted! And that’s something special.

If you’re drinking absinthe and sharing it with your kin (something you totally should), you must do it right.

So That Brings Me to the Purpose of My Post - Absinthe Fountains

I’ve tried many absinthe fountains in my lifetime, I own quite a few, and I’ve learned a lot from each. Not all fountains are created equal, and for me, there are three types.

First, you have the inexpensive kind that works nicely as decorative pieces but are not very good at doing what they’re meant to do: to pour chilled water over your absinthe - you get an uneven pour.

The second type of absinthe fountains is the well-made fountains: beautiful but functional. All metal often made from solid brass with a proper glass reservoir and high-quality spigots.

The last one I bought of this category was the Absinthe Original Lady Absinthe Fountain, a handmade piece that takes you to absinthe’s golden years, to a Parisian café. It’s flawless.

When I found out that a golden-plated version of my favourite two-spigot fountain came out in limited quantities, I knew it would be my next acquisition, which brings us to the third kind of absinthe fountains: Collectors’ items.

Anyway, My Golden-plated Lady Absinthe Fountain is Here, and Here’s My Review

Kudos to Absinthe Original for the effort they put into packaging this piece nice and tight. It arrived in perfect condition.

The fountain comprises three pieces. The base, a shiny handmade work of art in the form of a stylish woman from which two fine spigots come out (did I mention it’s plated with genuine gold?!).

Then there’s the glass reservoir (50.72oz / 1.5 litres capacity), which, in my experience, is more than enough for several rounds of absinthe.

And finally, the gold-plated cover, ending in a classic acorn pointy top. I’m all about the classic 20th-century French design.

The whole absinthe fountain measures 18.9”, and before I talk about its functionality, I’d like to mention that these pieces are handmade, and thus there’s a limited quantity available.

As I mentioned, I’m a restaurateur and have offered a small but pretty good absinthe program for a few years now. As soon as I unpacked my golden absinthe fountain, I thought of getting a few for the restaurant. Every time we place a fountain on someone’s table for a round of absinthe, the room pauses in expectation. They have great appeal! And that’s my regular fountains; I can’t even imagine the impact these golden fountains will have.

You might ask about the price. This fine lady cost me less than 140 pounds, slightly cheaper than the large, four-spigot fountain, and not too far from the small two-spigot brass fountain (which I use often). I’ve paid more for less in other places, and for a collector’s item, the golden lady absinthe fountain is a great deal.

Let’s Put This Fountain to Work

To try out my new golden absinthe fountain, I got myself a bottle of something equally impressive, a bottle of King of Spirits Gold Absinthe.

I’ve done my research, and with 100 mg of thujone, the active compound in Artemisia absinthium, or wormwood, King of Spirits Gold is the closest there is to the authentic absinthe of the early 20th-century. Gold in colour, this absinthe has no additives or artificial colourings, and for me, it’s the real deal.

The king of absinth has a whopping 70% alcohol by volume, so diluting it to the perfect balance is critical - making it the ideal partner for my most beautiful absinthe fountain, Goldy.

Side note: Do not drink this absinthe on its own, it’s too powerful! And not very enjoyable. Diluted by an unbroken stream of chilly water, that’s something else right there, it’s glorious! Diluting absinthe is an artform, but you can learn all about it by checking out this dilution chart, that way you’ll know how much alcohol there is in your drink.

Anyway, I invited a few friends to work out my new fountain and to taste this noble spirit. I had the fountain ready (which was quite a conversation starter), and we poured ourselves a few drinks.

As expected, the water poured neatly and effortlessly in a steady stream down to my crystal absinthe glasses. My golden ratio? Three parts of water to one part of absinthe. The flavour was spot on with discernible herbs and anise aromas, subtle bitterness and a pleasant alcoholic warmth on the mid-palate.

We ended up having a few glasses of absinthe and lemonade, (for which we used the more suitable Absinthe Innocent) but the fountain had already played its part starting the night the right way.

My Final Thoughts

Absinthe Original’s Golden Lady Absinthe Fountain is not only a beauty, but it’s also precise and a fully functional piece of art.

If you’re thinking about getting an absinthe fountain, consider the capacity first. Four-spigot fountains are great for larger crowds, but most of the time I do just fine with a smaller two-spigot fountain.

The solid brass small lady absinthe fountain works great, but for a few more pounds you can get the gold-plated fountain. If you’re like me, you’ll eventually end up getting both, just keep in mind there are not too many golden ones around, so act fast.

If you’re thinking of getting the fountain for someone else, go for the golden one, it’s one of those gifts you never forget.

At the end of the day, absinthe is all about enjoying yourself and sharing it with others, but you have to do it right. For me, the golden absinthe fountain is a ten out of ten.