Description: Ridge Distillery is located in the mountains of Kalispell, Montana and founded by Joe and Jules Legate. They say their tart came from first growing and then selling herbs for tea and eventually gin and absinthe. In fact, they say they first found Grand Wormwood (the key ingredient of absinthe) growing as a volunteer (weed) right outside their front door–this was the true genesis of Ridge Distillery. Then, in their words, “Since we were fans of those liquors, it didn’t take long for us to consider starting our own micro distillery as well!” To this day, they grow many of their own herbs for use in spirits. Their spirits are made in traditional copper pot stills, with their particular still from Portugal. Ridge Distillery Absinthe Verte uses herbs grown on their 15 acre site in Montana where they feel the mountain air and climate makes some of the best herbs. One of their principal home-grown herbs includes grand wormwood, the key (and notorious) ingredient for absinthe. They regard their absinthe verte as a traditional recipe, using grand wormwood, green anise, fennel, coriander, angelica, elecampane, melissa, and roman wormwood. It is blended from a base of grain spirit and blended with Rocky Mountain spring water.
