A toast to absinthe friends

March appears to be a good month for absinthe, the notoriously strong spirit.

Not only has the drink become legal again in Switzerland -- the home of absinthe -- from the start of this month, after almost a century in the wilderness, here in the UK it is hitting the shelves under the La Fée drinks brand.

Drinks company BBH Spirits has launched La Fée in the UK in two varieties -- Parisian absinthe and a Bohemian absinth (spelt without the e) which it has just developed.

La Fée Parisian is based on the traditional French absinthe, distilled from the plants wormwood, anise, hyssop and a blend of aromatic herbs , and has an abv of 68%. Bohemian, at 70% abv is more spearmint green in colour and has stronger herbal notes of fennel and mint, with less anise than its French equivalent.

While the Parisian drink takes on a distinctive cloudy appearance when added to cold water, its Bohemian companion does not, making it a more suitable mix for cocktails. However, both drinks will appeal to the increasingly curious drinks consumer, says BBH.

Both drinks are also available as 45% abv to be suitable for on-trade outlets where full strength may be inappropriate.