Now that Absinthe is once again legal in many countries around the world, people are asking “What are the effects of Absinthe?”, “Will it make me trip or hallucinate?”, “Will I see the Green Fairy?”.

Absinthe is a mythical drink with many legends and stories surrounding it. Created in Switzerland as an elixir by Dr Pierre Ordinaire, it quickly became a best selling alcoholic beverage when Henri-Louis Pernod started distilling it in France. In fact, it overtook beer, cider and even wine as the most popular drink in France in the period known as La Belle Epoque, the golden age leading up to the First World War.

Famous drinkers of the Green Fairy include Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Oscar Wilde who said “After the first glass of Absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Pernod made Absinthe from a wine base and flavored it with natural herbal ingredients such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, star anise, veronica, dittany, lemon balm, hyssop, nutmeg, angelica and dittany. Some manufacturers used additional herbs such as coriander, calamus root and mint.

So, what are the effects of Absinthe?

Absinthe was popular in the time known as “The Great Binge”, a time when beverages containing cocaine were popular and the time when heroin was thought safe to use in medicine. It was linked to these types of drugs and was thought to be psychoactive and to cause:-

– Hallucinations
– Hyper excitability
– Convulsions and spasms
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death

Artists and writers consumed Absinthe to help them get inspiration and many said that it was responsible for their genius.

Absinthe, so the prohibition led people to believe, was going to drive the French people insane, make them immoral and cause the collapse of the nation. Doctors tested wormwood and thujone, the chemical from wormwood , on animals and claimed that it was like cannabis and that it caused epileptic fits and the prohibition movement blamed Absinthe for causing a man to murder his whole family, despite the fact that he had only consumed two glasses of Absinthe and copious amounts of other alcoholic beverages. Absinthe was also famously blamed for Van Gogh cutting off his own ear and for his suicide.

Absinthe was thought to contain huge amounts of thujone, up to 350mg per liter but high tech tests on original vintage bottles have proved that claims about thujone levels and the safety of Absinthe were completely false. Absinthe only contained very small amounts, up to 6mg, not enough to cause anyone to even hallucinate a little. Studies have shown that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong alcoholic drink.

I’m afraid that Absinthe won’t help you to see green fairies but it is a very strong drink, up to 75% alcohol by volume, and so will get you drunk rather quickly and easily. Also the mysterious blend of alcohol and herbs will give you a strange drunken experience, a “lucid” or “clear headed” drunkenness – a completely new experience!

So, what are the effects of Absinthe? Well, there are no bad effects except perhaps a hangover if you overdo it. Absinthe is a drink to be enjoyed and to make you feel good. Buy good quality Absinthe which contains real wormwood or make your own with essences from AbsintheKit.com and enjoy the great taste of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is famous for being the hallucinogenic drink that was banned in the early 1900s after it sent people insane and drove people to murder and suicide. Now that Absinthe has once again been legalized, many people are understandably asking “What are the dangers of Absinthe?”

Absinthe is a strong liquor which is distilled at high proof but generally served diluted with iced water or in cocktails. It has an anise taste and is flavored with natural herbs including common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel and aniseed.

Absinthe has a very colorful history. It was originally created as an elixir or medicinal tonic in Switzerland in the late 18th century but rapidly became popular in the period of history known as La Belle Epoque in the 19th century. The Green Fairy, as Absinthe was known, was particularly popular in France and bars even had special Absinthe hours. Famous drinkers of Absinthe including Van Gogh, Degas, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway all credit Absinthe with giving them their inspiration and being their “muse”.

As well as being associated with the Golden Age of La Belle Epoque, Absinthe is unfortunately linked with “The Great Binge” of 1870-1914, a period when cocaine was used in cough drops and beverages and where heroin was used to make children’s cough medicine. Absinthe became associated with these drugs, in particular with cannabis. It was claimed that the thujones found in wormwood in Absinthe was similar to THC in cannabis and that thujones were psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Many were convinced that the Green Fairy made you see green fairies, that Absinthe was an hallucinogen.

The medical profession and prohibition movement made many claims about the dangers of Absinthe and Absinthism, prolonged drinking of Absinthe. They alleged that Absinthe contained large amounts of thujone which caused:-

– Hallucinations and delirium
– Convulsions
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death

It was claimed that Absinthe drove Van Gogh to suicide and made a man murder his family.

So, are these claims true or are they urban myths?

These claims have been proved false by recent research and studies. Let’s look at the facts:-

– The man who murdered his family had consumed two glasses of Absinthe earlier in the day and then copious amounts of other spirits and liquors. He was a well known alcoholic and a violent man.
– Van Gogh was a disturbed person who had suffered bouts of depression and mental illness since childhood.
– Thujone is not like THC.
– Thujone can be harmful and can act on the GABA receptors of the brain causing spasms and convulsions but only when consumed in large quantities.
– Absinthe only contains very small amounts of thujone, not enough to pose any danger. It would be impossible to ingest harmful amounts of thujone from commercial Absinthe because you would die of alcohol poisoning first!

What are the dangers of Absinthe then? Well, there aren’t any. Absinthe will get you drunk quickly because it is so strong but being intoxicated is very different to hallucinating! When Absinthe is consumed in moderation, it poses no threat to your health and wellbeing and has now been made legal in most countries. Enjoy bottled Absinthe or try making your own using essences from AbsintheKit.com – it’s fun to do and also very economical.

Even though Absinthe is now legal in many countries, some people still find it hard to get hold of quality Absinthe which contains wormwood. These people either get Absinthe shipped from abroad or they want to learn how to make it at home.  However you make Absinthe, whether you distill it, steep herbs in alcohol or use Absinthe kits, you will need to use an alcohol base. So, what alcohol is use in Absinthe?

Henri-Louis Pernod, who first distilled commercial Absinthe in the early 19th century in Pontarlier, France, used a wine alcohol base. He distilled the alcohol with herbs such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, hyssop, angelica, lemon balm, star anise, juniper, veronica, dittany and nutmeg. Wine is the traditional base for Absinthe but some distillers use other types of alcohol.

If you look for Absinthe recipes online, you will see that most of them involve steeping blends of herbs in liquor like Everclear, white rum or vodka.

How Do You Make Absinthe at home?

Although some recipes online are for distilling Absinthe, distillation of liquor without a license is illegal in many countries and also you need the right equipment and you need to know what you are doing. So, are there any other ways of making Absinthe?

– Steeping and Filtering – This usually involves steeping herbs such as wormwood, fennel, aniseed, calamus root, star anise, mint, coriander seeds, cloves etc. for a few days or even a couple of weeks in the neutral alcohol base and then filtering. Only distillation will give you a true Absinthe, this will just give you an Absinthe flavored vodka.

– Using an Absinthe Kit – Most of the kits available online, like the ones from Green Devil, are just steeping kits. They are easier than finding and preparing your own herbs but you are just steeping the herbs in vodka again and making a flavored vodka.

– Using an Absinthe kit form AbsintheKit.com is a much easier and better way to make Absinthe at home. AbsintheKit.com produce essences for the Absinthe industry and the essences are produced by distilling traditional Absinthe herbs in alcohol. The distillation is done for you and all you have to do is mix the essence with vodka or Everclear and you have a true Absinthe drink.

The essences come in four different varieties:-
– Classic Green Essence to make a classic “verte” Absinthe with a thujone content of 35mg per bottle.
– Clear Absinthe Essence to make a clandestine La Bleue style Absinthe. This also has a thujone content of 35mg.
– Orange Essence to make Absinthe with a twist. This essence will make a yellow-orange colored Absinthe with a natural orange flavor and a thujone content of 35mg.
– Strong 55 Essence will make an Absinthe with a higher thujone content (55mg) and a more bitter wormwood flavor.

You can either buy a 20ml bottle of essence for $3.95 to make one 750ml bottle of Absinthe or buy a kit for $29 to make 14 bottles of Absinthe. A kit also includes a handy plastic measure and 14 artistic bottle labels. All you need to supply is the neutral alcohol base. Just remember that the alcohol content of your Absinthe will depend on your alcohol base. Be careful, drink Absinthe in moderation because it is a much stronger beverage than other spirits and fermented drinks.

What alcohol is use in Absinthe? A wine alcohol base or a neutral alcohol which does not have a strong taste of its own – Everclear, vodka or 151 rum.

Due to its legendary reputation and a certain aura of mystique around it, absinthe is still considered somewhat of a mystery. So, what is absinthe? This is a question asked by many people who have little or no knowledge of fine liquors. Well, absinthe is the legendary liquor made popular by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemmingway, and Oscar Wilde just to name a few.

This legendary liquor started out as a digestive tonic after a French doctor Dr. Pierre Ordinaire discovered its magical properties in the late eighteenth century. Absinthe was then prescribed to treat various stomach ailments. However, soon after it became the most popular alcoholic beverage in Europe. It was common to see people drinking this liquor in the cafés and bars of Paris and other European cities in the nineteenth century. Absinthe was considered as a creative stimulant by many great artists, authors and other creative people.

Absinthe is anise flavored liquor with high alcohol content. It is prepared by distilling neutral grain spirit or wine with different herbs such as wormwood, anise, fennel, angelica root, dittany leaves, hyssop, juniper, nutmeg, Melissa, veronica and coriander. Absinthe liquor may be colorless or have a bright green hue. The green color is due to the presence of chlorophyll from herbs such as hyssop and Melissa.

Absinthe has a very bitter taste and is usually taken with sugar and ice-cold water. The bitter taste is due to absinthine a substance found in wormwood. The alcohol content is generally between 50% and 75%. When at its peak, absinthe rivaled wine in popularity. Thujone, a chemical present in the herb wormwood, is the active ingredient in absinthe However, due to its mild hallucinogenic effects, misinformation and unsubstantiated rumors were spread by vested interests from the wine industry. This had the desired effect and absinthe was ultimately banned by most western countries at the beginning of the twentieth century.

In the last decade of the twentieth century new research proved that absinthe did not contain abnormal levels of hallucinogenic substances. Absinthe was once again legalized and since then has made a terrific comeback in most European countries. Absinthe production and sale continues to be banned in the United States; however, drinking and possession of absinthe is not considered as a crime. Absinthe is not drunk like other everyday spirits such as whiskey or rum; an elaborate ritual is followed to prepare the absinthe drink. Special absinthe glasses, absinthe fountains, absinthe bottles, absinthe spoons, sugar cubes, and ice-cold water are a part of the classic absinthe ritual.

In the classic French ritual absinthe is poured in a special absinthe glass and a special absinthe slotted spoon is place over the rim of the glass. A sugar cube is placed over the spoon and ice-cold water is poured over the spoon from an absinthe fountain. As the sugar cube dissolves in the water it falls through the perforations into the glass. The clear green absinthe in the glass turns opaque due to the louche effect as essential oils in the liquor are released. Ice-cold water is added to dilute the absinthe and the drink is then ready.

Since absinthe is still outlawed in the United States, US citizens are denied the pleasure of authentic absinthe. US citizens can source absinthe essence and absinthe kits from European producers and make their very own absinthe liquor. Genuine absinthe essence is mixed in neutral spirits such as vodka to prepare absinthe liquor.

Absinthekit.com is one place where you can get genuine absinthe essence, absinthe kits, and other absinthe accessories.

Thujone is a monoterpene and ketone found in various plants – wormwood (especially the wormwood plant Artemisia Absinthium or common wormwood), tansy, sage, some types of juniper, mugwort, nootka cypress and arborvitae (an evergreen cypress).

The chemical thujone is known to act on the GABA receptors of the brain and, when consumed in large amounts, is claimed to have a psycho active response causing convulsions and muscle spasms. Thujone is also toxic and is thought to damage the cells of both the liver and brain.

It was alleged many years ago that thujone was similar to THC in cannabis causing psychedelic effects but this claim has now been found to be false.

Thujone is famous for being one of the reasons that Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world and many countries now have laws regarding the amount of thujone in food and drinks.

EU (European Union) regulations regarding thujone are:-

– up to 0.5mg/kg of thujone is allowed in food, not containing sage, and non-alcoholic beverages.
– up to 5mg/kg is allowed in alcoholic beverages with an ABV, alcohol by volume, of 25% or less.
– up to 10mg/kg of thujone is allowed in alcoholic beverages with an ABV over 25%.
– up to 25mg/kg is allowed in food containing sage.
– up to 35mg/kg is allowed in alcoholic beverages if they carry the label “bitters”.

The USA has until recently banned any food or drink containing any plants of the Artemisia family but other herbs, such as sage, which contain the chemical thujone have been allowed. In 2007, Ted Breaux, an Absinthe distiller, was able to prove to the US authorities that Absinthe contained only tiny amounts of thujone and so his brand “Lucid” is now legal to buy and sell within the USA.

Thujone and the Absinthe Ban

Absinthe, which contains thujone, has a very interesting history. Absinthes are classed as spirits not liqueurs and are about twice the strength of other spirits such as whisky and vodka. The Green Fairy, the nickname for Absinthe, is a green liquor made usually from a wine base with a variety of herbs, most notably grand wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It has an anise taste and is prepared by diluting with water.

Absinthe was a popular drink in the 1800s especially in Bohemian Paris. Absinthe bars were popular and the drink was enjoyed by many French people at both the start of the day and the end of the day. Absinthe bars even had Absinthe hour – “L’heure vert” or “the green hour”.

Absinthe devotees include many famous historical figures including the artists and writers Van Gogh, Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Degas, Verlaine, Baudelaire, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. These artists and writers claimed that drinking Absinthe gave them inspiration and their genius. Oscar Wilde said:
“After the first glass of Absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

Many Absinthe drinkers claimed that getting drunk on Absinthe gave them a strange “clear headed “ drunkenness. This is thought to be caused by the sedative effects of the alcohol and some herbal ingredients combined with the stimulating effects of other herbs.

The prohibition movement blamed Absinthe for driving people insane, for it causing hallucinations, convulsions and making people violent. The work of Dr Valentin Magnan into alcoholism and the effects of wormwood oil on animals added fuel to the prohibition campaign when Magnan claimed that wormwood oil caused epileptic fits. He said that Absinthe was far more dangerous than other types of alcohol. Absinthe was thought to contain large amounts of toxic thujone and so was banned in many countries in the early 1900s.

Thujone Today

Until recent times, it was thought that the Absinthe of the 19th century contained as much as 350mg per liter of thujone but studies on recreated recipes of that time have shown that it probably only contained 4.3mg per liter. Tests were carried out on a vintage bottle of 1900s Absinthe and that bottle only contained 6mg of thujone per liter.

The claims of Dr Magnan have been completely disproved and it has been found that a person drinking Absinthe would die first of alcohol poisoning before suffering any effects of thujone, so little are the quantities of thujone.

It is perfectly safe to drink Absinthe in moderation and if you want real Absinthe you need to look for Absinthe containing wormwood, or thujone, as it is the wormwood which gives Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste. Absinthe essences containing real wormwood, and other traditionally used herbs, are available to buy online at AbsintheKit.com.

Jade Absinthe is a range of premium handcrafted Absinthes which are clones of vintage Absinthes produced in the Belle Epoque period of French history – the time when Absinthe was one of the most popular drinks in France and was linked with the Bohemian culture of Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the artists and writers who resided in Paris at the time. Absinthe is an anise flavored liquor made with wormwood and prepared in an Absinthe glass by pouring iced water over a cube of sugar on a special slotted Absinthe spoon.

Ted Breaux, from New Orleans in the USA, has made it his mission to clone the fine Absinthes of the late 19th and early 20th century for people to enjoy today. Every one of his Jade Absinthes is distilled in the Combier Distillery in Saumur, France – a famous Absinthe distillery. These Jade Absinthes are even distilled using equipment such as alambics and stills which were used by the Pernod distillery until it was hit by lightning in 1901 and in the still room designed by Gustave Eiffel, designer of the Eiffel Tower!

Breaux is committed to producing Absinthe by hand, using original antique equipment and using 19th century production techniques. Breaux was even able to get his hands on vintage bottles of original Swiss style Absinthe, created by C F Berger in 1830, to study so that he could learn from it and clone this fine Absinthe.

The Jade Absinthe Collection

The Breaux collection of Jade Absinthes includes:-

– Jade PF 1901 (68% ABV 136 Proof). Winner of a Silver medal at the 2007 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is named after the date that the Pernod Fils Distillery in Pontarlier was struck by lightning. The Jade line of Absinthes is produced in the copper stills purchased from Pernod Fils after the fire. Jade PF 1901 has been described as a classic traditional “old school” Absinthe and people who have had the opportunity to taste vintage bottles of Pernod Fils Absinthe and Jade PF 1901 have said that they are very similar.

– Jade Verte Suisse 65 (65% ABV 130 Proof). This Absinthe won a Gold Medal at the 2007 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is cloned from the vintage bottle of Swiss Absinthe that Breaux was able to secure. Switzerland was the home of Absinthe and known for the quality of its Absinthes.

– Nouvelle-Orleans (68% ABV 136 Proof). This Absinthe is said to be light with a floral aroma. It is a clone of the Absinthes which were served in the French parts of New Orleans in the USA. It won the silver medal at the 2006 London International Wine and Spirit Competition.

– Edouard 72 (72% ABV 144 Proof). Winner of a Silver medal at the 2006 London International Wine and Spirit Competition. This Absinthe is a clone of the famous Edouard Pernod Absinthe and is a traditional Belle Epoque Absinthe.

– Combier Blanchette (60% ABV 120 Proof). This Swiss style clear Absinthe won Gold Medal at the Pontarlier Absinthiades competition in 2006. Based on the La Bleue Swiss Absinthe, this Absinthe is the original Absinthe that was distilled at the Combier Distillery at the turn of the 20th century. It is said to have the traditional anise and wormwood flavors with flavors of alpine herbs.

Breaux has also been involved in creating an Absinthe for the American market. In the USA, thujone, the chemical found in wormwood, is strictly regulated and so normal Absinthe is still banned. Breaux’s expertise, coupled with the legal knowledge of Gared Gurfein, has led to the production of Lucid, an Absinthe created from traditional Absinthe recipes which only contained minute quantities of thujone. Breaux’s dream of re-introducing Absinthe to his home city, New Orleans the Paris of the USA, has been realized and Lucid is available to buy in the US. Breaux has been looking forward to seeing his Absinthe being served with the traditional glasses and spoons in bars in the US for a long time.

Jade Absinthe is available to buy online or you can create your own traditional Absinthe using real wormwood Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com – an easy way to enjoy the Green Fairy.

Jade absinthe or the fabled green colored aperitif is making a stunning comeback in most parts of the world. Today, almost all west European countries have lifted the century long ban imposed on absinthe. No drink in history has been so wrongfully blamed as absinthe. Absinthe has been blamed for almost all miseries from madness to serial murders.

Absinthe also nicknamed as the “Green Fairy” was the most popular liquor of nineteenth century Europe. Original absinthe was a potent blend of various alpine herbs soaked in alcohol. Several artists and writers in the nineteenth century were devotees of absinthe. This liquor was liked by both the masses and classes of nineteenth century Europe. At one time it was more popular than wine.

Since, lifting of the ban absinthe has generated a great deal of interest amongst connoisseurs of fine liquor. Younger people today want to taste pre-ban absinthe. Vintage absinthes of the pre-ban period recovered from old cellars in Europe are fetching astronomical prices; however, not everyone can afford to pay huge sums to taste the original absinthe.

Thankfully, T.A. Breaux a professional scientist has taken it upon himself to offer connoisseurs the opportunity to taste and relish the experience of original pre-ban absinthe. T.A. Breaux established Jade liqueurs in the year 2000 to produce recreations of classic absinthes of nineteenth century Europe. A chance discovery of rare pre-ban absinthe bottles in a Corsican cellar have allowed Mr. Breaux and his other associates to use modern analytical tools to unlock the secrets of vintage absinthe.

Jade absinthes are made using accurate and authentic recipes. The herbs used in making absinthe are harvested from specific areas of Europe and at particular time of the year, as was done during the pre-ban era. Some of the stills used for distillation are carefully restored and date back to the nineteenth century. Ted Breaux and his associates have done huge amount of original research to produce or recreate original absinthe. Jade absinthe is balanced and has the same herbal aroma and the lingering taste of vintage absinthe. Tasting this absinthe is bound to take the connoisseur back in history when the Green Fairy was the favorite muse of great masters like Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Oscar Wilde.

Vintage absinthe accessories such as absinthe spoons, absinthe glasses, absinthe labels, and absinthe fountains are also in great demand; however, they come with a heavy price tag. Silver plated stylish copies of absinthe spoons glasses and other accessories are available online and lovers of absinthe can buy them online. Absinthekit.com is a reliable source for authentic absinthe essence, classic absinthe spoons, glasses, and other absinthe accessories.

There has been much debate and controversy during the past few years over the question “Is Absinthe legal in the US”. It has always been thought that Absinthe was illegal due to its thujone content.

Absinthe, or the Green Fairy (La Fee Verte in French) is a strong alcoholic distilled drink usually made from a wine base and flavored with natural herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It is much stronger than other spirits and fermented beverages like beer and cider. Absinthe has an anise taste and is famous for its “louche” or clouding when it is diluted with water. Iced water is poured over a sugar cube on a slotted spoon to mix with the water.

Thujone is a chemical found in the herb wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) and was in the past thought to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects, convulsions, insanity, brain damage and ultimately death. Wormwood is a key ingredient in Absinthe, it is the herb responsible for the characteristic bitter taste of the liquor. It was claimed that vintage pre ban Absinthe, like Pernod Absinthe, contained up to 350mg of thujone per liter.

Absinthe and alcohol containing thujone were made illegal in the United States in 1912 and only thujone free beverages were able to be bought, sold or shipped to the US such as Pernod Pastis, an Absinthe substitute.

The claims of the prohibition movement and doctors of the 19th and early 20th centuries, regarding the effects of Absinthe drinking, have since been disproved by further research and studies. Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg of thujone was made therefore made legal in the European Union.

But what about the US? Many people in the United States became frustrated with the laws regarding thujone and Absinthe. Absinthe distiller Ted Breaux, an American but distilling Absinthe in France, was determined to see Absinthe, the Green Fairy, being sold legally in the US. Breaux tested vintage bottles of Absinthe from the pre ban era by gas chromatography and was surprised to find that they actually only contained very low levels of thujone, a maximum of 6mg.

Lux and Fire Erowid contacted both the FDA and the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to seek clarification regarding the US laws on Absinthe and found that a thujone amount was not specified and “thujone free” meant less than the limit of detection in the testing that was used – less than 10 parts per million in this case. So, Absinthe with less than 10ppm would be legal in the US!

Ted Breaux and lawyer Gared Gurfein also spoke to the US authorities and Veridian’s brand of Absinthe “Lucid”, made with Breaux, was legalized for sale in the US in 2007 along with other brands containing less than 10ppm of thujone.
Suddenly, the Green Fairy was back in the US!

US citizens still cannot buy stronger Absinthe in the US although the website for Sebor Absinthe says that they can get around the law by shipping their Absinthe to consumers in the US for personal consumption as they interpret the law as only applying to resale of Absinthe.

There are kits available for people to make their own Absinthe at home without the need for distilling which is illegal in the US unless you have a license. These kits allow you to make a drink with a slightly higher thujone level than commercial Absinthe on sale in the USA.

The company Green Devil make kits which contain herbs that you have to mix with alcohol and then filter. AbsintheKit.com produce essences which they sell to the Absinthe industry and to consumers world wide. These essences are already distilled from the traditional Absinthe herbs, all you have to do is to mix the essence with Everclear or vodka for a real wormwood Absinthe.

So, is Absinthe legal in the US? Yes, it is, at last!

The answer to the question “Is Absinthe available in Canada?” is rather simple really – yes! It may not be fully legal to buy and sell throughout Canada but it is perfectly legal to order it and ship it in to Canada from other countries for personal consumption.

In March 2007 Canadian law stipulated that it was up to the liquor board of each individual Canadian province to regulate the chemical called thujone. Thujone is a chemical found in wormwood and is the reason why Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world in the early 1900s. Thujone was thought to be psychoactive like THC in cannabis and Absinthe was compared to drugs like cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Medical professional of the time alleged that Absinthe contained vast amounts (up to 350mg) of thujone and that Absinthe was responsible for causing:-

– Hallucinations
– Convulsions
– Delirium
– Insanity
– Brain damage
– Death

Is Absinthe available in Canada or not?

The United States banned Absinthe in 1912 and although it was never properly banned in Canada, liquor boards have managed to prevent it from being available to consumers. Canadian consumers have had to be content with Absinthe substitutes, like Pernod Pastis, that don’t contain wormwood.

Since it has been established through testing that Absinthe only contains small amounts of thujone which are perfectly safe and that the claims and allegations were just part of the mass and hysteria fueled by the Prohibition Movement, Absinthe laws all over the world have been relaxed so that the drink can be experienced by modern consumers.

Many Canadian provinces are now reviewing their legislation regarding Absinthe. The provinces of Quebec and Ontario allow Absinthe with a thujone content of up to 10ppm, just like EU and US legislation. British Columbia does not have any legislation regarding thujone levels but the smaller the better. Hills Absinth and a Canadian distilled Absinthe called “Taboo”, which is distilled in British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley, have been approved and are available to buy in many provinces.

If you are a Canadian in a province where it is hard to get hold of a quality wormwood Absinthe in a store, you should consider Absinthekits like those available from the company AbsintheKit. This online company produce Absinthe essences for the Absinthe industry and for consumers. The essences contain traditional Absinthe herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel and are already distilled. Simply mix 20ml of Absinthe essence with 730ml of vodka or Everclear and you have your very own real Absinthe.

AbsintheKit.com do world wide shipping, simply order an essence or Absinthe kit on their web shop. The essences either come individually in 20ml bottles or you can order a kit containing 280ml to make 14 bottles of Absinthe, artistic bottle labels and a handy plastic measure. The essences come in 4 varieties – one to make a classic verte Absinthe, one to make a clear La Bleue style Absinthe, an essence to make a yellow-orange colored Absinthe flavored with natural orange oil, and a strong essence to make an Absinthe with a higher content of wormwood. The strong essence makes an Absinthe with 55mg of thujone and the other essences make Absinthes with 35mg of thujone.

So, what we can say to “Is Absinthe available in Canada?” is that it can be ordered online for personal consumption wherever you live in Canada but you may not be able to buy it in your local liquor store.

Absinthe was banned in many countries around the world in the early 1900s because of worries about its safety. Absinthe is a strong liquor with an anise taste which is served diluted with water to cause the drink to louche.
One of the key ingredients of Absinthe is the herb wormwood which contains a chemical called thujone. Thujone was thought to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis and to be psychoactive. The medical profession and prohibitionists in 19th century France were convinced that Absinthe was more than an intoxicant, it was a dangerous drug totally unlike other alcoholic beverages. The government listened to these claims and were worried about growing alcohol abuse in France so they banned Absinthe in 1915. It became a crime to buy or sell Absinthe, you could get into trouble with the police if you distilled it illegally.

Studies have since shown Absinthe to be perfectly safe, as safe as any strong alcohol. Absinthe only contains small amounts of thujone and certainly not enough to cause any harmful effects. It is easy to get drunk on Absinthe though and, because Absinthe contains herbs of both a sedative and stimulant nature, it is a very different drunkenness!

Absinthe was legalized in many countries from the 1980s onwards depending on its thujone content. Bottles of Absinthe can be found online or in liquor shops or you can make your own from top-quality essences like those from AbsintheKit.com.

In what countries is Absinthe legal today?

United States – Some brands of Absinthe were approved for sale in the US in 2007 after being banned since 1912. Brands such as “Lucid” are now legal because of their low thujone content. The USA law allows “thujone free” beverages to be sold but because of US test procedures, Absinthes with less than 10 parts per million of thujone (less than 10mg per liter) count as thujone free.

The EU (European Union) – Absinthe was banned in many European countries in the early 1900s but was legalized in the EU in 1988. There is a regulation regarding thujone content in drinks in the EU. Up to 10mg/kg of thujone is allowed in alcohol with more than 25% alcohol by volume, and up to 35mg/kg in alcohol labeled “bitters”.

Australia – Bitters can have a thujone content of up to 35mg/kg and other beverages can contain up to 10mg/kg. Absinthe is legal for sale if it complies with the law.

Brazil – Brazilian law states that Absinthe should have less than 55% alcohol by volume and contain 10mg/kg of thujone or less.

Canada – The Canadian provinces each have their own liquor boards to make laws regarding alcohol. Many provinces do not allow any thujone containing alcohol to be sold but Absinthe is legal in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Quebec and Ontario legislate that Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg thujone can be legally sold and there are no limits regarding thujone in British Columbia.

Czech Republic – Absinthe is a Czech tradition and has never been banned in the Czech Republic.

France – La Fee Verte or The Green Fairy (Absinthe) was famously banned in 1915. Since 1988 Absinthe has been legal in France as long as it is not labeled Absinthe but is labeled “spiritueux à base de plantes d’absinthe”. France also regulates the chemical fenchone which is found in fennel so beverages must contain 5mg/liter or less of fenchone. Many distillers make low fenchone Absinthes especially for the French market.

Hungary – In 2004 Hungarian law made Absinthe legal.

Israel – Absinthe can be sold in Israel.

Ireland – Absinthe can be shipped into the country for personal consumption but Absinthe containing thujone is otherwise illegal.

Netherlands – In 2004 Absinthe was made legal as long as it complies with the EU legislation.

New Zealand – Absinthe is legal in New Zealand.

Poland – Absinthe seems to be illegal in Poland.

Portugal – Like Spain, Absinthe was never banned in Portugal.

Russia – Russia allows Absinthe to be bought and sold, even high thujone Absinthe of up to 75mg/kg thujone.

Serbia – Serbia does not allow Absinthe over 50% abv or containing thujone to be sold.

South Africa – In 2005 Absinthe was made legal.

Spain – Absinthe was never banned in Spain where it is known as Absenta.

Sweden – Sweden allows Absinthe complying with EU legislation to be sold as long as it is labeled as containing wormwood.

Switzerland – Absinthe was finally legalized in 2005 in Switzerland, more than 90 years after it was banned.

Turkey – Thujone containing Absinthe is illegal.

UK – The UK never banned Absinthe. Absinthe must comply with EU legislation.

So, the answer to the question “In what countries is Absinthe legal?” is that it is now legal in most countries where it was previously popular.