Feature: Swiss absinthe brand knocks on door of Chinese market via CIIE

GENEVA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- By participating for the first time in the China International Import Expo (CIIE), Swiss absinthe brand Kubler pinned hopes on the gigantic Chinese market.

Yves Kubler, owner of Swiss absinthe "Kubler" and heir of the family distillery, told Xinhua during a recent interview that the brand would like to explore the Chinese market and understand the preferences of Chinese drinkers.

Kubler Absinthe was first produced in 1863 in the Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland, also known as the "birthplace of absinthe."

Kubler visited Shanghai three years ago, with an "excellent" impression of the modern city, making him realize that China is a market with great potential for absinthe.

Kubler tried to promote absinthe independently in China but barely made any progress. But at the CIIE, Kubler Absinthe will be presented together with other well-known Swiss products, which will help impress Chinese entrepreneurs and consumers, and "break fresh ground," he explained.

Absinthe is an anise-flavored spirit derived from several plants, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium, together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "the green fairy," and is normally diluted with ice water before being consumed.

Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchatel in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It rose to great popularity as an alcoholic drink in the late 19th and early 20th century in Europe and America.

Ernest Hemingway, Charles Baudelaire, Vincent van Gogh, and many other writers and artists are said to have been fans of absinthe.

"Drinking absinthe is not simply drinking, but to get a taste of that period of history," said Kubler, voicing his hope of introducing to Chinese drinkers the culture and tradition related to absinthe.

During the interview, Kubler showed a way to drink absinthe: pour some absinthe in a glass, lay a special spoon with holes on top of the glass, put a sugar cube on the spoon, and pour ice water slowly on the cube until it dissolves, stir well and then the drink is ready.

"Drinking absinthe can be ceremonial," he said.

Kubler has high expectations for his first CIIE experience, hoping to open the Chinese market through the trade fair.

"Maybe China will become our biggest export market in the future," he added.