The Wine Fact Center

Absinthe Green Fairyis an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. In the 18th century it was developed as an elixir and today it is among the most controversial and popular drinks of all time.

Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is incredibly strong, between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. The name “Green Fairy” was kept because of it’s emerald green color. Herbs are used to prepare this distilled liquor. The three important herbs for it is wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel (fennell). Herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, veronica, star anise and dittany was used by Henri-Louis Pernod to prepare his original Pernod Absinthe recipe. Some manufacturers used the herb calamus along with wormwood and nutmeg which were assumed to be psychoactive. Because of the essential oil extract Absinthe louche when iced water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon. As oils are not water soluble so they cause Absinthe to louche.

Absinthe Green Fairy and the Art World

Absinthe is famous for inspiring many artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area of Paris. Some of the famous Absinthe drinkers are Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. Many writers and artists were benefited with the effects of Absinthe. A few paintings are also based on Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers.

Absinthe’s association with old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was just the excuse that prohibition campaigners needed. France banned Absinthe in 1915 because of it’s relation with the murder of a family and increasing alcohol addiction in this nation. Except the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal it was banned in all the countries.

Wormwood contains the chemical thujone which was blamed for the psychedelic effects of consuming the Green Fairy. Thujone was thought to be similar to THC in cannabis. Absinthe only contains minute quantities of thujone. Research has shown that the alcohol content in Absinthe is dangerous and not the thujone. Several studies and articles have been written on the subject. A person should be careful about the quantity while consuming it as it is double strong in comparison to the vodka or the whisky.

During the time of prohibition many people enjoyed buying and drinking vintage style Absinthe in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic, served in the classic Absinthe large glassesand in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. Absinthe is legal now in lots of countries however thujone levels are controlled in the EU and the United States only authorize marketing of Absinthe having appropriate amounts of thujone.

You can buy Absinthe online by the bottle or order Absinthe essences (visit the website AbsintheKit.com) to make your own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes, produced for the US market, do not contain thujone.

One can also use Absinthe Green Fairy in cocktails – mix with champagne for a truly decadent drink!