Welcome to The Absinthe Parlour

A drinker’s cabinet of wonder filled with unusual spirits, from the old world and new, together in one curious exhibition of extraordinary elixirs.

Allow each round to provide you with a passage to the furthest corners of the world, transported to an experience outside the boundaries of time.

Seek and you shall find: hidden here are explorations of alchemy & magick, pleasure & fantasy, celebrating the point at which curiosity unlocks a world unknown.

The Last Tuesday Society’s Absinthe Parlour is truly a hidden treasure of East London.

Votes of “Best Bar in London” – DesignMyNight Awards 2019
Absinthe Menu Shortlisted “Specialist List of the Year” – Imbibe 2020

Absinthe

Absinthe — there is no spirit so notoriously favoured by the rebellious minds of art & literature. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec famously meandered the brasseries & brothels of bohemian Paris carrying a hallowed cane, filled with a personal stash of the green spirit. PaulVerlaine & Arthur Rimbaud’s explosive affair, famously fuelled by a shared love for Absinthe, would eventually result in the attempted shooting of his young lover by Verlaine, twice. An Absinthe induced vision of 19th century France is forever immortalised in Vincent Van Gogh’s jarring colour juxtapositions and, most famously, in the tale of his self-mutilated ear gifted by the artist to his favourite prostitute. Pataphysics founder, Alfred Jarry, was perhaps the only Absintheur mad enough to drink his Absinthe neat, being a devout alcoholic who considered water to be a terrible poison. Even the ‘Wickedest Man in the World,’ Aleister Crowley, wrote an ode to “The Green Goddess” while observing its lucid influence upon the patrons of The Old Absinthe House in New Orleans. Pablo Picasso, Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Émile Zola —the list of famous Absintheurs would inspire anyone to pick up a glass of this tantalising elixir, but what is this “tongue-numbing, brain-warming, idea-changing, liquid alchemy” as described by fellow Absinthe drinker Ernest Hemingway?

MEET THE DIRECTORS

Collectors, drinks historians & absintheurs — Allison Crawbuck (Brooklyn) & Rhys Everett (London) opened The Absinthe Parlour at the Society in 2016, bringing with them a shared passion for the mysterious world of Absinthe & the macabre. Together, they have curated the UK’s most extensive list of premium quality, traditional absinthes & curious cocktails to pair.

In 2019, it was voted the Best Bar in London at the 7th annual Design My Night Awards by a public vote of over 180,000 Londoners, and in 2020, their absinthe menu was shortlisted for Imbibe’s Specialist List of the Year.

Their passion for the Green Fairy has taken the duo around the world in search of the many unknowns that still remain in the alluring history of Absinthe. They host a programme of drawing salons, lectures, masterclasses, and tastings that explore the origins and rituals of the notorious spirit.

In January 2021, Allison Crawbuck and Rhys Everett launched the UK’s first Absinthe distillery: Devil’s Botany located in Leyton, East London. Distilled with a background in mixology, the Devil’s Botany range has been handcrafted to highlight absinthe’s versatility in cocktails. The Spirits Business listed Devil’s Botany London Absinthe as #8 in the Top 50 innovative spirits launches of 2021.

They are also authors of Spirits of the Otherworld: A Grimoire of Occult Cocktails & Drinking Rituals, published by Prestel/RandomHouse (Sep 2021 | ISBN 9783791387147).

Follow their research @TheAbsintheDrinker or @DevilsBotany

Spirits of the Otherworld: A Grimoire of Occult Cocktails & Drinking Rituals

By Allison Crawbuck & Rhys Everett, Directors of The Last Tuesday Society
Published by Prestel Autumn 2021

Alcohol meets alchemy in this fun and darkly fascinating collection of cocktail recipes to suit your every mood and whim.

Astrology, tarot, palmistry, and other spiritual arts are having a moment—and that includes the spirits we enjoy during cocktail hour. With this deeply researched collection of intoxicating treats, readers will be able to mix a drink that reflects their interests and satisfies their curiosity. Over the course of five chapters, the authors map out esoteric philosophies that have fueled the dark arts of their times. Each recipe is presented in a double-page spread that includes an engaging history, clear instructions, and original photography. More than just a collection of recipes, this dive into the occult tells you everything you need to stock your bar and kitchen with, while offering compelling background information on natural ingredients, botany, herbs, and spices—all points of interests that connect the cocktail enthusiast and the practitioner of magic. Whether you’re serious about cocktails or the occult—or just getting acquainted with either one—this ingenious blend of mixology and magic will add a drop of mystery to every drink you make.

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Events & Exhibitions

Tarot & Devil’s Botany Absinthe

Devil's Botany invites you to Raise the Spirits

Austin Osman Spare – The Book of Pleasure

Book launch & Exhibition Closing, with Devil's Botany Chocolate Absinthe

Magical Botany: Candle Workshop with Devil’s Botany

Celebrate the hidden powers of nature with a candle making workshop and Devil's Botany cocktails

Vodun in Benin: Altars, Shrines and Ceremonies, with Dr Louise Fenton – Live

This is a fully illustrated lecture and Louise will use her own photographic archive to show key locations and Vodun ceremonies.

Magic in Mixing Drinks: Full Moon Bitters Making Workshop with Devil’s Botany

Conjure Your Own Magically-Charged Cocktails in a guided Absinthe Tasting & Lunar Cocktail Bitters Workshop with Devil's Botany

The Art of Tarot

Live introduction to the illuminating Mari Lon Tarot Deck & exploration of the timeless resonance of the world's ancient wisdom traditions

A Bestiary of Austin Osman Spare – an Exhibition

an exhibition

SHAPESHIFTERS: A group exhibition featuring the work of London tattoo artists

Exhibition - Opening party held on 12th July 2023 18:00-20:00

City of the Beast: The London of Aleister Crowley, with Phil Baker – LIVE

Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture, tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe

Guided Tours with Vadim Kosmos – Emeritus Director of the Museum

Tours with Vadim Kosmos - Emeritus Director of the Museum (with a glass of Absinthe) In Person Event - not by Zoom

Tattoo: An Art History with Dr Matt Lodder – LIVE

Dr Matt Lodder reveals how tattooing has always been a permanent fixture of the visual culture of Britain.

The Ultimate Femme Fatale: The Extraordinary Life of Marchesa Casati, with Celine Hispiche – LIVE

Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture, tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe

Origins & Rituals of Absinthe: A Spirited Lecture with Devil’s Botany

A Spirited Lecture Resurrecting the Mysteries of Absinthe

Fairy Tales from Borneo, with Viktor Wynd – LIVE

Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture, tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe

David Bowie: Magic & the Cabbalah, with Anthony Ryan – LIVE

This talk will explore the impact of the Occult on David Bowie's art, moving between conjecture and overt displays of his interest, in the liminal, ambiguous zone that his androgyn

Welsh Fairy Tales from The Mabinogi, with Viktor Wynd – LIVE

Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture, tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe

Spirits of the Otherworld: A History of the Occult + Drinking Rituals

Alcohol meets alchemy in this fun and darkly fascinating exploration of occult drinking rituals throughout

Magick Cocktail Bitters Making Workshop with Devil’s Botany Absinthe

Conjure Love with Your Own Magically-Charged Cocktail Bitters Workshop and Absinthe Tasting with Devil's Botany

The Burning Times: Witches and Persecution in London – LIVE

Explore London's witch-ridden, pagan past with Maria Beadell, founder of Herstorical Tours, and Devil's Botany Absinthe.

Welsh Fairy Tales from The Mabinogi, with Viktor Wynd – LIVE

Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture, tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe

Viktor Wynd’s Guided Tour of His Museum with Devil’s Botany Absinthe

Join reclusive Viktor Wynd (with a complimentary glass of Devil's Botany Absinthe) for an intimate tour of his museum, see mermaids & fairies - in person - not by zoom!

Horror Movie Mondays with Devil’s Botany & Violent World Magazine

A Series of Horror Film Screenings hosted with Violent World (Los Angeles) & Devil's Botany Absinthe (London)

Palm Reading with Devil’s Botany Absinthe

Devil's Botany invites you to Raise the Spirits this autumn with their Absinthe Regalis

Absinthe Hour

Devil's Botany Absinthe Specials Weekdays 15:00-18:00