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Hebsaint Liqueur

  • j

I am looking for Herbsiant Liquere (New Orleans anise flavored liquor) and I am having no luck. I have checked all the package stores on Beacon Hill, North End and the few that are downtown all with no luck. I realize that there are substitutes that could be used but I am looking for the real deal. Has anyone seen it at any of the greater Boston area stores?

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  1. I have been casting about for Legendre Herbsaint for a while with no luck, myself. A not-bad substitute is Henri Bardouin pastis, a much subtler alternative to Ricard and Pernod. I wonder what Katrina did to Herbsaint production.

    14 Replies
    1. re: MC Slim JB

      No. 9 stocks it. You might ask where they get it.

      1. re: tatamagouche

        I was there on Tuesday night. They are the ones who got me hooked on Sazeracs! They don't know what retail stores sell Herbsaint. All restaurants and bars in Mass have to buy their liquor/wine/beer from a distributor and what is available to them is not always available at stores. I guess until I find it I will just have to keep going to 9 Park...not that I mind.

        1. re: JR

          Find out who distributes it and call them.

          1. re: Aromatherapy

            Most, if not all, of Sazerac comes through Horizon Beverages in Avon. However, I also know that #9 gets things from Sazerac via Horizon that don't end up anywhere else. Good luck there...

            1. re: Burke

              I've only ever heard of Sazerac as a cocktail (an ancient and good one, too); do you mean pastis?

              1. re: MC Slim JB

                Sazerac is both a classic cocktail from New Orleans and a liquor company that sells, among other things, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Herradura Tequila, and Rain Vodka. For more info, see below.

                Link: http://sazerac.com

                1. re: Burke

                  Very interesting! Looks like these people also own Peychaud's Bitters, another hard-to-find bar staple, and an absolutely essential ingredient in a proper Sazerac cocktail.

                  1. re: Burke

                    Sazerac also carries Papi Van Winkle...but no longer carries Herradura. Herradura now belongs to Brown-Forman. I am not sure if Horizon carries Sazerac's products, but I know that they carry all Brown-Forman products exclusively. The only reason why I question if Horizon carries Sazerac's products is because I know they have their own sales people; however this is something I may be wrong about. There is a stipulation they have that in order to have the privelage to carry any of their top level products like Buffalo Trace, Papi Van Winkle and Sazerac....you have to carry Rain Vodka.

                2. re: Burke

                  And specialty products are allocated to the distributor, who allocates it to certain stores and bars that have ordered that product or certain amounts before. Horizon is sold out of the Sazerac rye mentioned below, with the next year's product coming in this May -- which maybe already allocated.

                  Does anybody know who is distributing Buffalo Trace? Its available at Atlas (medford, roslindale, quincy, etc) and Blanchards, but its not being distributed by Horizon.

                  1. re: itaunas

                    I think Gordon's on Main St in Waltham has Buffalo Trace. I know they have Sazerac because I just bought some there.

                    1. re: itaunas

                      BT is distributed by Atlantic (the owners of Martys Newton and Allston).

                      Sidenote... I found Buffalo Trace for $19.99 at the NH State Liquor Store this past weekend.

                      1. re: itaunas

                        I would also try checking Liquor Land in South End/Mass Ave area. They carry a lot of great hard to find stuff...and if they don't have it on the shelf, I would check with Emmett. I will say that they carry a very extensive Rum selection if that is what interests you

                        1. re: blackdahlia

                          Liquor Land was to close just after the new year and was working on transferring their license to another location. I tried to get there the last
                          Sunday I knew they were to be open, but didn't. If they are still open, I would love to make another trip there and if anyone knows where they stand on the transfer of the license/new location that would be very interesting.

                          1. re: itaunas

                            Yes, they are still open. I guess from what I understand, an appeal is in the courts for them to stay open until the new location is finished. They are hoping to be at the new location in about another 6 weeks.

            2. Re; Peychaud's bitters. Does anyone know if they're available in Metro-West or further, or Rhode Island?

              Also, if you're looking for Sazerac 6 yr. old Rye Whiskey for the cocktail, it's available in the NH State Liquor Store system. And compared to the price reportedly paid in a recent NY Times article on the resurgence of Rye, it's worth driving over the border (you could almost do it in a Hummer and break even).

              5 Replies
              1. re: RIChowderhead

                A couple of online retailers who carry Peychaud's:


                Incidentally, I'm very happy to see the rye revival. I was able to pick up some Sazerac rye at Gordon's on Main St in Waltham recently; they have a big selection of ryes, including some pretty pricey ones.

                1. re: MC Slim JB

                  MC Slim JB

                  Here's a link to the article in the NY Times about Rye.


                  1. re: RIChowderhead

                    Excellent article, thanks! Looks like a picked up one of the best bangs for the buck by getting that Sazerac rye.

                    1. re: MC Slim JB

                      So the article says. I hadn't tried rye until I read it. I got the Sazerac rye as well. It does have the grassy taste that was mentioned. I would agree that it was a good value (at $19.95)

                  2. re: MC Slim JB

                    And the Gordon's in Newton/Watertown now has Peychaud's. They say that the Regan's Orange will be arriving very soon as well.

                    The Gordon's on Main has a good rye selection? I'll have to make it over there I guess! Especially since I'm recently down a bottle of Sazerac!

                2. you might try BRIX on Washington St in the South End