Many people think that absinthe alcohol is a liqueur, but it is actually classified as a liquor or spirit mainly because it is not bottled with added sugar. It is quite a strong herbal liquor that is distilled with wormwood and anise, but is also known to have other aromatic herbs such as fennel, licorice, angelica root, coriander, nutmeg, juniper and more. The word, absinthe can refer either to the alcoholic beverage or to the actual wormwood plant, which its Latin name is Artemisia absinthium.
Absinthe alcohol comes in many different versions. Its evolution began in the late 18th century (maybe older) in Switzerland then spread to other countries who would put their own spin on the original. As you might imagine, the quality of the different brands were widely varied, much like wine is today, and the cheaper varieties of absinthe alcohol had lower alcohol content and often used ingredients that were actually harmful. The variety known as "Bohemian Absinth" came from the Czech Republic and was one of these cheaper varieties which contained little to no anise, fennel or any of the other herbs that were found in the traditional absinthe. The Swiss and particularly the French were responsible for greatly increasing the popularity of absinthe alcohol and were generally considered the ones who produced the highest quality. While everyone has their own personal taste preferences, a "deluxe absinthe" will generally be of a higher quality then a "classic absinthe". There are even some considered a "specialty absinthe" that will be quite unique and different.
There are many legends and myths surrounding absinthe alcohol, which the French nicknamed, "The Green Fairy" due to it's emerald green color. Initially, it was sold as an all-purpose remedy or cure-all, perhaps because of the benefits of the wormwood and other herbs. It was recommended for treating epilepsy, colic, gout, kidney stones, and more. Eventually it was sold as both a folk remedy and aperitif. It had such a unique effect on those who drank it, it was even banned by the Swiss in 1910. Many believed that heavy consumption of absinthe alcohol was linked to hallucinations, violence and depression. Perhaps that is why it was so highly praised by bohemian types and artists such as Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. Legend has it that the famous Dutch painter Van Gogh, cut off his ear while under it's influence. Absinthe alcohol became so popular in France, especially with the bohemian writers and artists in Paris they had "the green hour" which is equivalent to our "happy hour" nowadays. You could find it in nightclubs and popular hangouts such as the Moulin Rouge. As production of the beverage increased so did it's demand, and pretty soon prices dropped enough so that everybody was drinking it. That is until a few crazy people had to ruin it for everybody else.
There were several murders that were linked to the consumption of absinthe right around 1900, the most famous being the Lanfray murders involving a man and his own family. At that point it was Switzerland who first banned the legendary drink with many other countries following shortly thereafter. Although it's still not actually legal in America, in 2005 Switzerland lifted the ban and the famous green drink is now growing in popularity again.
Now that you have learned a few interesting facts about absinthe alcohol, I will let you decide if it’s just another drink, or perhaps more of a legend. With it’s growing popularity in recent years, we’ll have to wait and see if its own history repeats itself.
By Jeffrey Gilliam
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