Absinthe – The Green Fairy’s Connection to Nature

At first produced as an herbal tonic in Switzerland, absinthe quickly gained popularity as an artist- and writer-friendly drink in late 19th-century France. By its end, however, absinthe had earned itself a reputation for inducing hallucinations due to the chemical thujone found in absinthe’s main component, Artemisia absinthium wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), possibly through hallucinogenic effects; some report an “opening of the mind”, while others report more stimulating “buzzing” sensations; some other users report similar effects similar to Lucid Intoxication while others report more stimulating sensations as opposed to intoxication due to combination of stimulants/sedatives and antiparasitic properties found within herbal components with antiparasitic properties contained therein;

Absinthe was once popular among European bohemian creatives like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde who romanticized its mystique. Unfortunately for some however, absinthe was also associated with violent disorders including convulsions and foaming at the mouth attributed to its toxic effects of wormwood.

Since 2007 when President George W. Bush lifted the longstanding ban, several producers in the U.S. have revived absinthe production, led by French company Lucid as the first brand to receive U.S. label approval. Many home brewers have attempted to make their own absinthe using kits or store-bought herbs along with wormwood extract with high proof alcohol; however, distillation requires great skill and care for producing truly outstanding absinthe.

Higher-grade absinthes can be recognized by their color and alcohol strength of base. Traditional varieties, which use distillation followed by maceration of green herbs to produce the characteristic hue, are known as “verte” absinthe or “green absinthe.” Non-traditional versions, known as oil mixes or misting absinthes, skip distillation altogether in favor of cold mixing various oils and essences with high proof alcohol such as vodka or Everclear; adulterated with copper, zinc or indigo plants to provide color, and antimony trichloride for creating the louche effect.