About Absinthe, the Liquor Often Called the "Green Fairy"
A unique alcoholic drink sold primarily in European Countries
Absinthe is a distilled highly alcoholic drink classified as a liquor or spirit. It's origin was in Switzerland, it was used frequently as an elixir/medicine and was produced by Henry-Louis Pemod in 1797. Typically, Absinthe was emerald green either naturally or with added color, giving it it's nickname of la Fe'e Verte - The Green Fairy. The usual method of drinking Absinthe was more of a ritual. Special slotted absinthe spoons and other accouterments were most often used when mixing the drink. Absinthe drinkers usually added three to five parts of very cold water to a shot which caused a cloudiness in the drink referred to as louching. The flavor of Absinthe has been compared to an anise-flavored liqueur here in the United States.
Absinthe became more popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, especially among groups of Parisian writers and artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway to name a few. During it's most popular days it was sold under the brand Pernod Fils. By this time, it was considered to be a very addictive drug with dangerous psychotic effects. Thujone (a toxic chemical found in wormwood with a similar molecular makeup as THC) found in Absinthe, was considered to be the source of these side effects. By 1915, Absinthe (absinth) was banned in the United States and many European countries. Even though no real evidence existed that it was any more dangerous or mind altering than ordinary alcohol, the reputation of Absinthe effects resulted in it becoming illegal. Since 1990, Absinthe has been legal again in some European countries for sale and manufacture and has several sites dedicated to it on the World Wide Web.