We recently connected with Theodore A. Breaux and have shared our conversation below.
Theodore A., so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
In 1994, while working as a research scientist in New Orleans, I kept encountering the word, “absinthe,” and behind this word I stumbled into a fascinating realm that was shrouded in speculation and myth. I found myself continuously frustrated by a lack of reliable information and was astounded to find so many unsolved mysteries that had persisted for more than a century. Realizing that I had the modern tools at my disposal to get to the truth and pull back the veil that clouded the facts, I discovered my purpose was to resolve a debate that raged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through the marvels of modern science, I would sweep away the economic, social, and political influences that tainted the truth for so long and publicize the facts for the world to see. I would take these longstanding wrongs and make them right. These revelations would enable me to reintroduce to the world the most sordid and unfairly vilified liquor, in its original form, but with a fresh understanding.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Inspired by the revelations afforded by science, I was able to effectively reverse engineer antique brands of absinthe. Having finalized my research, I searched France for a distillery that would work with me to recreate antique absinthe, exactly as it appeared in the 19th century. I was fortunate enough to make arrangements with a distillery founded in 1834 with absinthe distilling equipment installed by Gustave Eiffel in the 1880s that was still present and functional. In January of 2004, I began distilling absinthe using this original equipment for the first time since 1914. This launched Jade Liqueurs, with the Jade absinthes being held in high regard for over 20 years. In 2007, I created LUCID absinthe for Viridian Spirits, which we used to break the 95-year ban on absinthe in the USA. In March of 2007, LUCID became the first genuine absinthe sold in the USA since 1912. In 2020, I partnered with renowned cocktail master Dale DeGroff to create DeGroff Spirits, where our focus has been to create antique Italian-style spirits using old world crafting and quality.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that enabled me to see this journey to fruition have been:
Patience – Patience pays. Rarely is anything worthwhile and lasting developed in a flash. Do not allow yourself to be rushed into making poor decisions. Resist impulsive thinking and learn to embrace the virtues of delayed gratification. Be methodical and deliberate. Play long ball for the long haul. Think in terms of a marathon, not a sprint.
Balance – Life is full of distractions. Embrace some of them. Learn to put what’s important aside temporarily and create healthy diversions. Try not to get so focused within a forest that you can no longer see the trees. Learn to switch gears, change the channel. Discover nature. Challenge yourself physically on a regular basis. Put important things out of your mind and approach them another time from a fresh perspective.
Self-Worth – You are capable of achieving far more than you think. Choose your peers wisely, only quality matters, not quantity. Misery loves company, so don’t be that company. Ignore ignorance. Seek those wiser than yourself and learn from them. Extract emotional influence from clouding important decisions. Learn and practice mindfulness.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
There are numerous challenges I face on an ongoing basis, ranging from those involving agriculture in foreign countries, government regulations, international logistics, and of course, all the challenges that exist in maintaining visibility and integrity in the marketplace. While the art is where my passion lies, it is dealing with the challenges of business and overcoming those on a regular basis that makes this venture viable. While there is no magic bullet in dealing with seen and unforeseen challenges, one must remain flexible and pliable, quickly able to adapt and bend if necessary without breaking. This requires taking a deep breath, thinking pragmatically, and not allowing emotions to control the situation. There have been numerous times where it would have been easier to just call it quits, but being resilient and developing workarounds and solutions even in the face of the stiffest challenges has been rewarding and a learning experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jadeliqueurs.com
- Instagram: jade_liqueurs
- Facebook: jadeliqueurs
- Linkedin: Theodore A. Breaux
Image Credits
Darian Everding, Jenny Gardener
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