Absinthe is highly complex alcohol derived from various herbs including wormwood, star anise, fennel, coriander, angelica, and more. Absinthe was invented by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire in 1797 and became an extremely popular drink during the early 19th and 20th century. Originally, absinthe was developed as an elixir help treat particular illnesses. One of the leading ladies of the Seventeenth century French court became ill and was prescribed the first absinthe in modern history. Due the success of absinthe, its popularity soared and was propelled into the market primarily led by France.
Early on, absinthe gained a reputation for its psychoactive properties derived from the herb wormwood (artemisia absinthium) and quickly adopted the nickname La fee verte, which means “the green fairy”. Absinthe is a very rich emerald green color and is very bitter in taste (as a result of distilling with wormwood). As a result, absinthe has been traditionally poured over a slotted spoon (containing a sugar cube on top) into a glass of water. Upon pouring the absinthe into a glass of water (with sugar), the green drink becomes an opaque, cloudy white drink because the essential herbal oils seep out of the alcoholic mixture. This complete absinthe ritual was called “La Louche”.
As a result of gaining a psychedelic reputation, absinthe was very popular among artists, intellectuals, and poets who purportedly used absinthe to stimulate creativity and enhance artistic ability. Artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Baudelaire, and Verlaine (just to name a few) regularly used absinthe as a drink of choice and included absinthe in their actual works. Among many of the famous works notable for absinthe are Picasso’s Absinthe Drinker and Still Life with Absinthe by Van Gogh.
As prohibition began grab hold throughout most of Europe, absinthe fell victim to vicious rumors and outlandish claims. Critics held that absinthe produced a serious syndrome they called absinthium, which was alleged to cause hyper-excitability, hallucinations, and addiction. Opponents stated that absinthe would make a man “go mad” and diligently worked to have the classic alcohol banned. Along with pressure from large winemakers, the production of absinthe was halted and the absinthe legend began.
Absinthe still faces criticism as being a very strong alcoholic drink, but has finally been redeemed from being thought to cause madness and insanity. Absinthe is not legal in many European countries and has very recently been legalized in the United States. Today, absinthe is regulated by its thujone content – the active chemical in wormwood that makes absinthe produce psychoactive effects. Absinthe is still a very intriguing beverage with a rich history of art, intellectualism, and mind-altering mystique.
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