About Absinthe

What is absinthe?
Once most people hear the word absinthe, they typically have a preconceived notion of …
a myth.

Absinthe is a drink invented in Switzerland around the turn of the 19th century and was originally used as a digestive to settle the stomach. Although it was made popular by the French, it is considered by many, to have been the most popular drink of late 19th century Europe and was enjoyed by such notables as: Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemmingway, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Edgar Allen Poe. Absinthe is a high alcohol (between 100 and 144 proof) mixture of carefully distilled alcohol steeped herbs. The taste is that of anise, with a hint of an herbal/licorice mix.

What is meant by “the absinthe ritual?”
There is a specific way the French and Swiss prepared their absinthe and to vary from this method was highly frowned upon. This ritual traditionally begins with a reservoir glass, which indicates the amount of absinthe to be added to the glass. A slotted spoon would then be laid across the rim of the glass, which is used to hold a single sugar cube. Because of the high alcohol content, sugar will not mix easily with the absinthe in the bottle, so it must be added separately with water. The sugar also helps with the bitterness of the absinthe. Perhaps the most important thing to preparing absinthe correctly is the rate at which the water is added to the absinthe. The best way to control this rate is by using an absinthe fountain. This allows you better manage the amount of water dripped over the sugar cube, thus more effectively controlling the "louche," a milky white product created when the cold, sugary water slowly mixes with the light-green absinthe. Ice water is poured into the glass bowl of the fountain and the spigot is turned slightly, to slowly drip the water onto the sugar cube and into the glass of absinthe. The slower the water is added the better, as the water changes the chemical consistency of the absinthe allowing it to slowly release the anise fragrance, as well as change its appearance to “louche.”

Is absinthe legal in the United States?
Due to a strange law established July 25, 1912 by the United States Department of Agriculture, absinthe is legal to own and to drink in the U.S., but not legal to sell or import. Despite what most people think, it is not considered a drug by the U.S. Government. Most absinthe drank in the U.S. is purchased online from European web sites, where absinthe is legal to sell, or brought back in luggage from vthrough customs in their luggage when returning from Europe. If confiscated at the border, the absinthe is simply seized. Even with absinthe recently being made legal again in France (1998) and Switzerland (2005), the U.S. is actually the largest market for absinthe. In fact, the leading European seller of absinthe online sells 95% of his absinthe to the U.S. There are many websites throughout Europe that ship authentic absinthe to the U.S. and guaranty its delivery.