Absinthe (IPA English: IPA French: ) is a distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood. Although it is sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe does not contain added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit."Traite de la Fabrication de Liqueurs et de la Distillation des Alcools" Duplais (1882 3rd Ed, Pg 249)

Absinthe is often referred to as la Fée Verte ("The Green Fairy") because of its coloring — typically pale or emerald green, but sometimes clear. Due to its high proof and concentration of oils, absintheurs (absinthe drinkers) typically add three to five parts ice-cold water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy (called "louching"); often the water is used to dissolve added sugar to decrease bitterness. This preparation is considered an important part of the experience of drinking absinthe, so much so that it has become ritualized, complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements. Absinthe's flavor is similar to anise-flavored liqueurs, with a light bitterness and greater complexity imparted by multiple herbs.

Absinthe originated in Switzerland as an elixir, but is better known for its popularity in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink still linger in popular culture. In its heyday, the most popular brand of absinthe worldwide was Pernod Fils. At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug; the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. By 1915 it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, there is no evidence showing it to be any more dangerous than ordinary alcohol although few modern medical studies have been conducted to test this. A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale.

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Free drinks on Vrigin? Well, sure! How's the absinthe today?
hatchjt (Joshua Hatch) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:32:51 -0000
Free drinks on Vrigin? Well, sure! How's the absinthe today?
un apéro absinthe ca vous tente ?
NFx00 (Démontant Olivier) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:31:39 -0000
un apéro absinthe ca vous tente ?
Also, it would take 9 shots of Absinthe to kill me, and 6 to kill @opheliacanswim Somehow I don't doubt that at all.
buckthornatl (Brian Wilson) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:19:14 -0000
Also, it would take 9 shots of Absinthe to kill me, and 6 to kill @opheliacanswim Somehow I don't doubt that at all.
Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder http://bit.ly/7KEUQ by jtnee
PangaeaDesigns (Kathy Tucker) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:12:44 -0000
Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder http://bit.ly/7KEUQ by jtnee
Poor kitty! :-( RT @Reuters Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu http://link.reuters.com/wuw67f
absinthe (Not potable) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:09:48 -0000
Poor kitty! :-( RT @Reuters Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu http://link.reuters.com/wuw67f
Pacific Distillery's "Pacifique" Absinthe and "Voyager" Gin are coming back on 11/13! We're now accepting pre-orders! http://bit.ly/28EuRL
DrinkUpNY (DrinkUpNY) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:55:59 -0000
Pacific Distillery's "Pacifique" Absinthe and "Voyager" Gin are coming back on 11/13! We're now accepting pre-orders! http://bit.ly/28EuRL

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