What is absinthe ?

         No liquor is more legendary - and more misunderstood - than absinthe. Drink of choice for famous figures like Van Gogh and Hemingway, Absinthe was a convenient target for temperance agitators and government regulators worldwide. It's now well known that wormwood contributes no poison, only a pleasing jolt of thujone to the drink, commonly known as the Green Fairy. Perfectly legal to buy and to drink, Absinthe is now showing a worldwide resurgence.
       So what can I think about Absinthe and its effect. is it a drug, does it make you insane? To put it in a nutshell. Absinthe is not a drug! It can cause a mental activation, and like all drugs (take alcohol, cigartettes) can be bad for your health when you consume too much of it. But you have to drink gallons of Absinthe to have a negative effect to your health. And in case of the Lanfray murder. This guy drank wine, coffee with cognac and much more alcohol during the day. Absinthe was just one part of it. His alcoholism was the case for the murder, not Absinthe! But Absinthe was blamed, as during that time alcohol was generally considered as bad for society (time of the prohibition in the USA for example). And Absinthe was perfect as a scapegoat, it was a high proof liquor and a threat for the wine industry. They didn´t want to have a second national drink in France or Switzerland and therefore actively worked against the reputation of Absinthe. The Absinthe effect nowadays can be described as a mental physical activator. It increases your awareness and creativity. You will not get insane, it is just a positive mood you are set in to.

                          What's not absinthe ?

                   Absinthe is not a hard drug. You will not go crazy because of it, you will not transform in something else (picture 1) , you won't die from it (The picture 2 won't be your portret after drinking absinthe). 

                                        Legal or Illegal?

        Short story : Absinthe is legal.      For the long story  read further :      

          Absinthe laws vary from country to country.Most members of the European Union now allow the sale of strong absinthe, with limit of 35 milligrams of thujone per kilogram. Bars and restaurants in Britain began serving absinthe when they discovered it was never formally banned in the country.Germany - thujone-containing absinthe available at bars and stores in Germany, in 2002 it is quite popular in some parts of Germany and Austria.Netherlands - 1909 ban on absinthe sales lifted in July 2004. Thujone containing absinthe sold in liquor stores, as long as thujone quantity remain within European-accepted levels.Thujone containing absinthe is being sold in liquor stores in New Zealand.In Switzerland, the prohibition of absinthe was even written into the constitution in 1907, following a popular initiative. In 2000 this article was repealed during a general overhaul of the constitution, but the prohibition was written into ordinary law instead. Later that law was also repealed, so from March 2, 2005, absinthe is again legal in its country of origin, after nearly a century of prohibition.Absinthe recently became legal in the Canadian province of British Columbia. In the US, thujone is still banned, but as a food rather than a drug. You aren't allowed to distill or commercially make absinthe, but you can legally own a bottle and even make your own as long as it isn't distilled.

                                Why the different spelling of Absinth / Absinthe?

       This is quite simply a language difference. Although 'absinthe' is the generic spelling as coined by the Swiss and French, who were the original absinthe producing nations, you will find that around the world there are many different spellings for the word absinthe. In the Czech Republic 'e' is dropped, and thus, absinth. The Spanish say absenta and the Italians say assenzio, but they all mean absinthe.

                                      What's the special incredient in absinthe?

         The distinctive herb in absinthe is grand wormwood (Artemesia absinthium), 
and the chemical name for the principle active ingredient in wormwood is thujone. Thujone is a terpene and is related to menthol, which is known for its 
healing and restorative qualities. In its chemically pure form, it is a colourless 
liquid with a menthol-like aroma. Oil of Artemesia absinthium (or wormwood oil 
as it's usually called) is approximately 40-60% thujone.

           

                                                                    How should I drink it?
(for the how to pics and video check the page "How should I drink absinth") 

Step 1: Pour an ounce or two of absinthe into a tall, heavy, thick-stemmed glass, like a parfait glass.
Step 2: Place an absinthe spoon -- a flat, metal, slotted spoon -- across the rim of the glass.
Step 3: Put a sugar cube on the slots of the spoon.
Step 4: Slowly drip three to six ounces of cold spring water over the sugar cube until the sugar is dissolved. The absinthe will turn from transparent green to a cloudy green or yellow.
Tip: Some people dip the sugar cube in absinthe and set the cube on fire before dousing it with ice water.
Step 5: Stir with the slotted spoon and enjoy.
Carefully strain and pour into a glass. Absinthe is best served well chilled with a little water and sugar.

                                              
                                          Can I get high from drinking absinthe?

          Quality absinthe, properly distilled, does have a different effect over and above the results of alcohol, though at up to 70%, the effects of the alcohol alone can be considerable. Absinthe's effects, despite popular conception, are not due to the wormwood alone. Absinthe's constituents consist of a very delicate balance of various herbs, most of which contribute in one way or another to its intoxicating effects. It is a push-me, pull-you effect of the various herbs, as some are of an heightening effect, and others are lowering. The effect on the individual is subjective, and can best be described as a kind of heightened clarity of mind and vision, mildly ponderous and sparkling, and warmed by the effect of the alcohol. This seems to wear off after 20 or 30 minutes, leaving one with an alcohol buzz. 2-3 glasses of absinthe seems to do the trick. More than that, depending on the proof of the alcohol, absinthe will just make you very drunk.

                                              What does absinthe taste like? Is it very bitter?

Short story : Tastes great. The predominate flavor of absinthe is anise or licorice, which are similar.

Long story : Read further > 

        The power and attraction of absinthe lies in its inherent contradictions. Though fortified with a formidable measure of alcohol, a depressant, it is also infused with powerful herbal stimulants, creating a psychic tug of war in the mind of the imbiber. Alcohol relaxes inhibitions and invites in new ideas, and the stimulants allow you to logically process the new data.
Foremost of the stimulants is thujone, the psychoactive chemical at the heart of the herb wormwood, which, along with anisette, gives absinthe its bitter, black liquorish taste. While once thought to instigate simular reactions as marijuana’s THC, recent research suggests it modulates the neurotransmitter GABAA, which plays a vital role in cognitive thought. Subsequently, absinthe provides a level of clarity not usually associated with alcoholic drinks, and what artist worth his beret could pass that up?
The recipes for absinthe, and thus the flavor, vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer, as was true at the turn of the century when there were over 200 absinthe producers. Today, there are not nearly so many, but more and more crop up every day! That said, a few of the modern Spanish brands seem to have the best hold on flavor. At its best, and in varying degrees with brands such as Deva, Lasala & Mari Mayans, you will find a strong anise (close to licorice) flavor with undertones of its many herbal constituents.
Despite popular opinions, due mostly to people's erroneous assumptions upon sampling home brews, absinthe, when properly distilled, is not extremely bitter. Wormwood, whose extract used to be a popular ingredient in many perfumes, actually has strong floral & herbal flavor (and scent) that is heightened when extracted by proper distillation, which leaves behind many of the bitter absinthins. So yes, there is bitterness (probably more evident in absinthes with higher thujone content allowed), but it is an undertone, and not overpowering in the slightest. Absinthe King of Spirits Gold is somewhat more bitter than regular absinthe, yet paradoxically more smooth - the usual sharp 140 proof edge appears to be in hiding in the herbs.

- Today is a good day I think for PARTYING DOWN. - I disagree!