Meet the Green Fairy - Absinthe

What is Absinthe?

Absinthe is steeped in history and ritual. It is distilled from grand wormwood, fennel and anise it has a distinct licorice and herbaceous flavor profile. If you've ever had Pastis or Pernod you will have some sense of the taste. It has a very high alcohol content and is therefore generally consumed by mixing it with water. Adding icy water to a glass of absinthe also causes a reaction in which the liqueur clouds or “louches” turning from its characteristic pale green color to a pale milky tone.

In addition to the wormood, fennel and anise, absinthe producers will add components such as star anise, hyssop, cardamom, juniper and angelica root. Like gin, the flavor profile of each house is distinct and each has its fans.

Why was it been banned?

Wormwood has been used for medicinal purposes since the time of ancient Egyptians. Some believe that the wormwood from which absinthe was distilled, caused hallucinations, while others blamed ill effects on thujone or other by-products of manufacturing. Everything from renal failure to hallucinations to murder have been blamed on absinthe. It was around the turn of the century that absinthe was banned. Like other Prohibitions (e.g. liquor in the US in the '20's; foie gras in Chicago) the absinthe ban had dubious origins. Following a gruesome set of murders by a Swiss man, investigators supposedly found that he'd drunk absinthe earlier in the day. Ignored was evidence of the other considerable alcohol he'd consumed. Some believe that the drink was so popular that wine makers were upset about losing market share. The ban on absinthe soon spread and it has been illegal for decades in many countries.

Unscrupulous producers used techniques which allowed many impurities to enter the mass market absinthe. Thujone is a chemical that has been incorrectly identified as occurring in dangerous amounts in absinthe. For years, champions of this drink have made progress countering the false information and using modern science to disprove the myths. In many countries it was never banned, with little ill effects and even in the US, recent sale has been allowed after a formula sold under the “Lucid” brand was proven to be safe under FDA guidelines. Still, with one recent murder that was linked to absinthe, some sources have latched on once again to the old misinformation.

Without going any further in the history lesson, let me introduce you to this delightful gift of the ages and the pleasure of its consumption.

How should absinthe be drunk?

The ritual is part of the delight of this beverage. Like a martini drinker describing the perfect technique (only shaken! only stirred!), absinthe aficionados also fall into different camps. Many believe it should be consumed with icy water only. Formulas vary, often a 3:1 is recommended. Some as high as 6:1. The essential oils in absinthe release their flavors when water is added. The beautiful louche is best achieved with a slow addition of water. Enter the absinthe spoon.

Prepare absinthe:

1. place absinthe in glass.

2. place absinthe spoon over top of glass.

3. here you may either pour water directly through spoon or

4. pour water through sugar cube placed on spoon

5. enjoy the louche as the flavors blossom

Enjoy your absinthe.

Some purists claim the ritual the following ritual is sacrilege.

1. place absinth in glass

2. dip sugar cube in to soak up absinth

3. place sugar cube on top of absinth glass, ignite (carefully!)

4. add water through spoon, enjoy.

Note the spelling of absinth in the last example, omitting the “e” this is most often a Czech product which is essentially wormwood bitters minus some of the anise and other subtle flavors. It may be that the carmelized sugar ritual was associated with this cousin due to its bitter nature.

Absinthe links:

This site  has great info and beautiful posters showing some of the ads for old absinthe.

This site sells a wide variety of absinthe.  

Here is the brand legally produced in the US sold in NY & NJ.