A supposedly narcotic spirit which originated in the 17th century and became
popular during the turn of the century in Europe and further popularized by famous artists and writers.
Absinthe has an opaque green color with a licorice aroma and a high
alcohol content, typically containing anise, artemesia pontica,
melissa, fennel, hyssop and lemonbalm; some immitation absinthes contain the original controversial ingredient wormwood, which contains the neurotoxin thujone.
Immitation absinthes, despite manufacturers claims, have only a general similarity with absinthes drank a century ago. The historically romanticized drink was Pernod Fils, a French Absinthe, which contained wormwood, and the exact recipe of which was
never known. However, in
2004 It was painstakingly resurrected by microbiologist
Ted Breaux, who owned two original bottles, and formed a private company selling limited batches of the real thing.
"After the first
glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the
second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the
world."
- Oscar Wilde
