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Absinthe Green Fairy posses a fairly interesting history. Developed as an elixir or tonic in the 18th century it is now one of the most controversial and famous drinks of all time.

With 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit and is pretty strong. The name “Green Fairy” or in French “La Fee Verte” is primarily due to its emerald green colour. It is a distilled liquor made from herbs. The three main herbs tend to be Artemisia Absinthium , fennell and green aniseed. Henri-Louis Pernod, the first man to commercially distilled Absinthe on this planet, used other herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, veronica, star anise and dittany to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. Some manufacturers used ingredients like herb calamus and this herb along with wormwood and nutmeg were though to be psychoactive. It is the essential oil extract from the herbs which causes Absinthe to louche when iced water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon. Absinthe clouds as oils do not dissolve in water.

Arts and Absinthe Green Fairy

Absinthe is famous for inspiring many artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area of Paris. Known Absinthe drinkers include Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gough, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas and Ernest Hemingway. A lot of writers and artists claim that Absinthe gave them inspiration and gave them their genius. Painters like Glen Mc Grath and Martine even featured Absinthe in their paintings.

Absinthe’s association with the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was a major boost prohibition campaigners needed. Due to the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France Absinthe was made illegal and it was banned in France in 1915. Other countries also banned it but it remained legal in the the UK, Spain and Portugal.

The chemical thujone, present in wormwood, was considered for the psychedelic effects produced by drinking the Green Fairy. Thujone was thought give effects like THC in cannabis. However Absinthe contains primarily ethanol, and therefore only contains minute quantities of thujone. Research has shown that Absinthe as safe or as bad as any other strong liquor and that it is the alcohol content not the thujone that is dangerous. Articles have been written on the subject extensively. It is about twice as strong as vodka or whisky and drink it with care and in moderation, it is simply a drink which gives pleasure.

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 glasses and in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. In the year 2008, Absinthe is once again legal in many countries subject to restrictions on the amount of thujone levels.

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.

Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit and can be used in cocktails too – mix with champagne for a truly decadent drink!

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