Absinthe 101

OK, I'm not quite sure where to begin. A few of you wanted some inside info on Absinthe so I'll attempt to present some. This is largely based on what I've read and first hand experience as I've been drinking authentic Absinthe for the past 4 or 5 years.

There is much said about the Green Fairy, much of it false. It is not a drug, you will not hallucinate or get high from drinking it. This probably got started as Absinthe is made from wormwood, one component of this is a chemical called Thujone which has a molecular structure similar to THC, the active psychoactive component in marijuana. It is not illegal to drink, it is, however, illegal to sell in the USA. The FDA bans the type of wormwood Absinthe is distilled from as it is a known neurotoxin. It can cause convulsions. I suppose, as with any other alcohol, it would be possible to have hallucinations, however to approach level of intoxication one would most certainly be courting alcohol poisoning and death.

Absinthe has also been blamed for many incidents ranging from the killing of spouses to Van Gogh cutting off his ear. This is interesting because it's often not mentioned that Van Gogh was fond of eating his oil paints and sipping his turpentine. I suppose it's easier to blame Absinthe rather than whatever the consumption of cadmium and lead and whatever else was in oil pints back then.

Absinthe addiction....this is possible as Absinthe does not affect a person the way most other spirits do. The Thujone in Absinthe acts as a buffer which allows one to imbibe far more of it than is possible with say Vodka or Whiskey. When you drink Absinthe, you do not get the cloudy, heavy feeling that alcohol normally produces. It does quite the opposite. While drinking it, your thoughts become clearer, you feel very energetic and open and free. Not weighted down and heavy like if you were drinking another spirit. Your speech often does not become slurred. This is NOT to say you are not buzzed or under the influence. You certainly are....it is the Thujone that is acting as a buffer so you are not feeling it like you normally would. You are NOT free to drive a car. It is this buffering effect that makes Absinthe a bit more dangerous. However, let me be the first to say I have been drunk on it once and it will never happen again. An Absinthe hangover is like nothing you've ever felt before. It scared the hell out of me. They say that the worst hangovers to have are those produced by dark spirits such as whiskey and brandy and that lot...that is a walk in the park compared to an Absinthe hangover.

If you write, paint, draw, etc. Absinthe CAN bring that out and the great artists of the past often produced their best works while drinking it. I can attest that it has this effect on me at times. It is a very pleasant, warm, happy sort of feeling. I'm not sure how else to describe it other than to say it is not at all like any other liquor.

There is a product on the market called Absenta that is legally sold in the USA. I tried this before trying authentic Absinthe and can only say it is an over-priced bottle of Anisette in disguise. It does not taste anything like real Absinthe nor does it look like the real stuff. Authentic Absinthe is a green hue but it is not emerald green. Save your money.

As for safety, I cannot comment on this. It is made from an herb that is a known neurotoxin. The level of Thujone is not anywhere NEAR what it was back in its heyday. Most today contain between 10 mg. and approx. 40 mg. of Thujone. Canada allows the sale of it as long as the Thujone is under 10 mg. I've read back at the turn of the century when it was popular, it was as high as 230 mg. The alcohol content to reach this level would have been positively insane. Currently, what I drink is 144 proof which is plenty strong even diluted with water as it should be. NEVER abuse it by drinking it straight or neat. That is not how it was intended to be sipped. As far as I know, it is a Czech brand which I have never tasted and wouldn't as all reports I've heard regarding Czech Absinthe is it is rotten and foul tasting.

Personally, I am not concerned with weather it is safe or not. I'm far more concerned with inhaling second hand smoke and the damage I did to myself by smoking 20+ years than I am what Absinthe may or may not do to me. It is a risk I am willing to take and I take it knowing full well nobody knows. However, it has been legal in England and Spain and there are no reports of Absinthe induced maladies.

What it tastes like...it is much like a fine wine. It has a complex flavour that continues to develop in your mouth and in your throat as you sip. It tastes heavily of Anise at first but other flavours can be detected as it unfolds in your mouth and on your lips. It's a very pleasant experience.

Oh yeah...why it was outlawed in the first place. In a nutshell...the French wine makers are to blame. Absinthe could be had for about a nickel a glass back in its heyday. Because it was so wildly popular, the French wine makers were running scared that this could put them out of business. It was all political.

This is why to this day it burns my ass that the ban is not lifted on this yet our Government allows the sale of cigarettes which kill not only those who willingly partake of them which is fine...but everyone around who is subject to second hand smoke is a victim of the ugly reality of what cigarettes do. Having been a smoker for most of my life (I quit last August), I resent that I am told I can't drink Absinthe because it MAY or MAY NOT harm me in the long run. But it's a proven fact that what I did to my body by 20 years of smoking most certainly did harm me for life. If they want to protect me, protect me from a proven harm (cigarettes) not from a drink that may or may not be harmful.

I hope I answered your questions, if I left anything out, just ask :-)