My daughter turned 21 yesterday and wanted to have her first legal drink with me. She wanted something memorable so I thought it was a perfect reason to crack the bottle Butterfly.

To add insult to injury, the image text reads: "absinthe on a burning sugar cube is a popular way of serving the spirit."

With media coverage like this, we still have a long, long way to go.

• Yes, most of the absinthes now available in the US are authentic. That is, they contain the same ingredients—including absinthium wormwood—and are similar to pre-ban absinthe in composition, style, and flavor. This is possible in part because scientific analysis has demonstrated that the compounds blamed for absinthe's alleged harmful effects were not present in the large amounts previously assumed. Modern absinthe made strictly according to pre-ban recipes has been analyzed and found to be more or less identical to actual pre-ban absinthe. Still, at present, there are no legal guidelines in the US as to what may be labeled "absinthe". There are faux absinthe brands being sold as genuine, so buyer discretion is advised; be well-informed!

• Absinthe is not a drug or poison and it never was. It won't make you “trip”, hallucinate, cut your ear off, or do anything else you wouldn't ordinarily do when intoxicated with liquor. Like any form of alcohol, it should be indulged in responsibly, but its only toxic properties are due to its high alcohol content.

The terrifying hallucinations reported in early, hospitalized absinthe abusers were most likely due to the withdrawal symptoms of acute alcoholism: alcoholic hallucinosis, or, the DTs. While some of the botanicals used have a mild stimulant effect (aniseed and fennel), there are no psychedelic or hallucinogenic ingredients in authentic absinthe, now or in the past.

• Thujone is not a hallucinogen, and it's not related or similar to THC. Thujone, the primary volatile oil in wormwood, is present in only in trace amounts in absinthe due to its resistance to distillation, and is safe at these levels. The current “100mg thujone” and “ extra strong” hype on many absinthe retail sites is a "legal high" marketing gimmick aimed at the gullible and uninformed. [sites using this hype tend to sell shitty absinthe] The role of thujone in the so-called “secondary effect” is greatly exaggerated, as is the effect itself. If you're here to read about thujone, read through the articles in our Absinthe Science section. The similarity in effect to THC was an untested conjecture in the mid-1970s and is unsupported by later studies. Thujone is a dangerous neurotoxin at large concentrations and is NOT a hallucinogen or a psychedelic and has no reasonable recreational potential.

• You can't make real absinthe at home legally. No more than you can make real whisky or gin at home. Absinthe must be distilled, just as whisky, gin, etc., and in most countries, including the US, home-distilling is illegal. Soaking wormwood and other herbs in vodka or grain neutral spirits will not make absinthe or anything like it.

• Flaming absinthe has never been an authentic absinthe tradition. Not in France, the Czech Republic, or anywhere else prior to the late 1990's. There are a number of time-honored classic drinks which are flamed, but absinthe was never one of them. Aside from entertainment value, burnt "caramelized" sugar does no more than introduce a charred marshmallow taste, obscuring the delicate balance of botanicals. • Authentic absinthe isn't horribly bitter.
The primary flavor of absinthe is anise—similar to licorice—but well-made absinthes have an herbal complexity that makes them taste like more than just licorice candy. It generally has a very mild bitterness.

• Pastis is not “absinthe without the wormwood.” Pastis was invented as an absinthe substitute after absinthe was banned in 1915. Pernod, Ricard, Henri Bardouin, Herbsaint and other pastis are substantially different from absinthe. The major differences are that pastis contains sugar, is bottled at a much lower proof, and uses primarily star anise in the flavor, which gives it a pronounced "black jelly bean" flavor. Although some lower-quality absinthes also use star anise, most use aniseed and fennel, providing a more balanced and complex flavor. Pastis will generally work in cocktails calling for absinthe, but as drinks on their own they're not very similar to it. Additionally, one cannot make absinthe by simply adding wormwood or wormwood extract to these products. It will taste vile.

Courtesy of the Wormwood Society

Death in The Afternoon made with Nouvelle Orleans 💚

Absinthe has been a part of my life for 20+ years now, so I wanted to commemorate it with some new ink.

My artist did an amazing job! I just sent him a photo of a regular ass absinthe spoon and he put time into designing an ornate spoon that’s almost like a stained glass window. I wish I could get a spoon like this irl too.

Sante!

I’m visiting Seattle and came upon a sign advertising beignets and absinthe - Can Can’s Dressing Room. They actually had a nice selection.