Absinthe

A reservoir glass filled with a naturally-colored verte, next to an absinthe spoon.

Absinthe (also absinth, absynthe, absenta) (English: /ˈæbsɪnθ/; French: IPA: [apsɛ̃t]) is a distilled, highly alcoholic (45%-75% ABV), anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called “grand wormwood.” Absinthe is typically of a natural green color but is also produced in both clear and artificially colored styles. It is often called “the Green Fairy.”

Natural green absinthes take their color from chlorophyll, which is present in some of the herbal ingredients during maceration. Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor. Absinthe is uncommon among spirits in that it is bottled at a high proof but consumed diluted to the strength of wine.

Absinthe originated in the Val-de-Travers, in the French-speaking region of Switzerland, as a medicinal elixir. However, it 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. At the end of the 19th century over 2 million litres of absinthe were consumed annually in France alone; by 1910 this number grew to 36 million. Due in part to its associations with bohemian culture, absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibition supporters. It was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug, and the chemical thujone, present in small quantities in wormwood, was blamed for these alleged effects. The Lanfray murders of 1906 provoked a petition to the Swiss government leading to the prohibition of absinthe in Switzerland. In 1912, absinthe production was outlawed in the United States, and in 1915, at the height of the French war effort, it was made illegal in France.

Though it was vilified, no evidence shows absinthe to be any more dangerous than ordinary alcohol, and its psychoactive properties are believed to have been exaggerated. Martin Paul Smith incorrectly argued that absinthe had Narcotic effects due to the fermentation process in early 2008 A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale. As of February, 2008, nearly 200 brands are being produced in a dozen countries, most notably France, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic. In addition, a few brands have become available in the United States.

Etymology

The French word absinthe can refer either to the alcoholic beverage or, less commonly, to the actual wormwood plant (grande absinthe being Artemisia absinthium, and petite absinthe being Artemisia pontica). The Latin name artemisia comes from Artemis, a Greek Forest Goddess. The word absinthe derives from the Latin absinthium, which is in turn a stylization of the Greek αψίνθιον (apsínthion), for wormwood.

Some claim that the word means "undrinkable" in Greek, but it may instead be linked to the Persian root spand or aspand, or the variant esfand, which would have meant Peganum harmala, also called Syrian Rue though not an actual variety of rue, another famously bitter herb. That this particular plant was commonly burned as a protective offering may suggest that its origins lie in the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root *spend, meaning "to perform a ritual" or "make an offering." Whether the word was a borrowing from Persian into Greek, or rather from a common ancestor, is unclear.

"Absinth" (without the "e") is a spelling variation of absinthe that is often seen in central Europe. Many Bohemian-style products use this spelling, it is often thought to be synonymous with Bohemian absinthe.

The "ritual" (preparation)

Main article: Absinthiana

Preparing absinthe the traditional way.

Traditionally, absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of the spoon. Ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink is diluted to between a 3:1-to-5:1 ratio. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water, mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise, come out of solution and cloud the drink. The resulting milky opalescence is called the louche (Fr. "opaque" or "shady", IPA [luʃ]). The addition of water is important, causing the herbs to "blossom" and bringing out many of the flavors originally overpowered by the anise.

Originally a waiter would serve a dose of absinthe, ice water in a carafe, and sugar separately, and the drinker would prepare it to his preference. With increased popularity, the absinthe fountain, a large jar of ice water on a base with spigots, came into use. It allowed a number of drinks to be prepared at once, and with a hands-free drip, patrons were able to socialize while louching a glass.

Although many bars served absinthe in standard glasses, a number of glasses were specifically made for absinthe. These had a dose line, bulge, or bubble in the lower portion denoting how much absinthe should be poured in. One "dose" of absinthe is around 1 ounce (30 ml), and most glasses used this as the standard, with some drinkers using as much as 1 1/2 ounces (45 ml).

In addition to being drunk with water poured over sugar, absinthe was a common cocktail ingredient in both Great Britain and the United States, and continues to be a popular ingredient today. One of the most famous of these is Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail, a concoction he contributed to a 1935 collection of celebrity recipes. His directions are as follows: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

Production

Anise, one of the three main herbs used in production of absinthe

Grande Wormwood, one of the three main herbs used in production of absinthe

Fennel, one of the three main herbs used in production of absinthe

The main herbs used to produce absinthe are green anise, florence fennel, and grande wormwood, often called the "holy trinity." Many other herbs may be used as well, such as hyssop, melissa, star anise, petite wormwood (Artemisia pontica or Roman wormwood), angelica root, Sweet Flag, dittany leaves, coriander, veronica, juniper, nutmeg, and various mountain herbs.

The simple maceration of wormwood in alcohol (as called for in absinthe kits) without distillation produces an extremely bitter drink because of the presence of the water-soluble absinthin, one of the most bitter substances known to man. Authentic recipes call for distillation after a primary maceration and before the optional secondary coloring maceration. The distillation of wormwood, anise, and Florence fennel first produces a colorless distillate that leaves the alembic at around 72 percent alcohol by volume (144 proof).

The distillate can be bottled clear, to produce a Blanche or la Bleue absinthe, or it can be colored using artificial or natural coloring. Traditionally the natural coloring step is done by steeping petite wormwood, hyssop, and melissa, among other herbs, in the liquid. Chlorophyll from these herbs gives the drink its famous green color, and this type of absinthe is known as a verte. After the coloring process, the resulting product is reduced with water to the desired percentage of alcohol.

In at least one documented case, absinthe can be naturally colored red with a red flower or herb and called a rouge or rose absinthe. Since the color is achieved by steeping herbs, it is theoretically possible to create a 'naturally colored' absinthe of any color by using the correct plant material, although only one historical rouge brand has been discovered thus far.

Absinthe can also be produced by mixing steam-distilled oils in high-proof alcohol, called an oil-mix.

Historically, most absinthes contain between 60 and 75 percent alcohol by volume (120 to 150 proof). It is said to improve materially with storage, and many pre-ban distilleries aged their absinthe in neutral barrels before bottling. In the late 19th century, cheap brands of absinthe were occasionally adulterated by profiteers with copper, zinc, indigo plant, or other dyes to impart the green color, and with antimony trichloride to produce or enhance the louche effect. It is also thought that the use of cheaper industrial alcohol and poor distillation technique by the manufacturers of cheaper brands resulted in contamination with methanol, fusel alcohol, and similar unwanted distillates. This addition of toxic chemicals is likely to have contributed to absinthe's reputation as a hallucination-inducing or otherwise harmful beverage.

Absinthe kits

There are numerous recipes for homemade absinthe on the Internet, many of which center around soaking or mixing a kit or store-bought herbs and wormwood extract with high-proof liquor such as vodka or Everclear. Even though these do-it-yourself kits have gained in popularity, it is simply not possible to produce absinthe without distillation.

Besides being unpleasant to drink and not authentic distilled absinthe, these homemade concoctions do contain thujone and can sometimes be poisonous, especially when using wormwood extract. Many of these recipes call for the use of liberal amounts of wormwood extract or essence of wormwood in the hopes of increasing the believed psychoactive effects. Consuming essential oils will not only fail to produce a high, but can be very dangerous. Wormwood extract can cause renal failure and death from excessive amounts of thujone, which in large quantities acts as a convulsive neurotoxin. It is also a powerful cardiac stimulant. Essential oil of wormwood should never be consumed straight.

Styles

Most alcoholic beverages have regulations governing their classification and labeling. Modern absinthe is not governed in this way and classification is difficult, and by nature inaccurate. Historically, there were five grades of absinthe: ordinaire, demi-fine, fine, supérieure and Suisse (which does not denote origin), in order of increasing alcoholic strength and quality. A supérieure and Suisse would always be naturally colored and distilled. Ordinaire and demi-fine could be artificially colored and made from oil extracts. These terms are no longer used as an industry standard, but some brands today still use the Suisse designation on their labels. Many contemporary absinthe critics use two classifications to denote quality; Distilled and Mix Absinthe. Within these two process-based classifications exist substantial variations in quality due to variations in the raw materials used, and should not be viewed as complete measures of quality.

Blanche/la Bleue

Blanche absinthe (also referred to as la Bleue in Switzerland) is bottled directly following distillation and is unaltered. It is a clear liquid which contains the distilled oils of the herbs used in its production. The name la Bleue was originally a term used for bootleg Swiss absinthe, but has become a popular term for Swiss absinthe in general.

Verte

Verte (green in French) absinthe begins as a blanche. The distillate is altered by the 'coloring step' whereby a new mixture of herbs remain in contact with the clear distillate. This process greatly alters the color and flavor, imparting an emerald green hue and a heavier, more intense flavor. This type of absinthe was most commonly consumed in the 19th century and is what is generally thought of as absinthe.

Artificially colored green absinthe is called "verte" although it often lacks the herbal characteristic from the natural coloring step.

Bohemian style Absinth

'Absinthe Drinker' by Viktor Oliva

Often called Bohemian-style, Czech-style, anise-free absinthe or just absinth (without the 'e'), it is best described as a wormwood bitters and is produced mainly in the Czech Republic where it gets its Bohemian and Czech designations, although not all absinthe from the Czech Republic is Bohemian style. It contains little to no anise, fennel or other herbs normally found in traditional absinthe that was popular in the 19th century, and is often more bitter from chemicals such as absinthine. Often, the only similarities with its traditional counterpart are the use of wormwood and a high alcohol content. In most cases, Bohemian-style absinths are not processed by distillation, but are rather high-proof alcohol which has been cold-mixed with herbal extracts and artificial coloring.

Contemporary Czech producers claim absinth has been produced in the Czech Republic since the 1920s, but there is no independent evidence to support these claims. Since there are currently few legal definitions for absinthe, producers have taken advantage of its romantic 19th century associations and psychoactive reputation to market their products under a similar name. Many Bohemian-style producers heavily market thujone content, exploiting the many myths and half truths that surround thujone even though none of these types of absinth appear to contain enough thujone to cause any noticeable effect.

Bohemian-style absinth lacks many of the oils in absinthe that create the louche, and a modern ritual involving fire is often used that takes this into account. In this ritual, absinth is added to a glass and a sugar cube on a spoon is placed over it. The sugar cube is soaked in absinth then set on fire. The cube is then dropped into the absinth setting it on fire, and water is added until the fire goes out, normally a 1:1 ratio. The crumbling sugar can provide a minor simulation of the louche seen in traditional absinthe, and the lower water ratio enhances effects of the high-strength alcohol.

It is sometimes claimed that this ritual is old and traditional, but there is no supporting evidence. It was first included in marketing after being observed in a Prague bar in the late 1990s and incorporated into its history as the classic method, which has been accepted by many as historical fact, largely because this method has filtered its way into several contemporary movies. Amongst many of the more traditional absinthe enthusiasts, this preparation method is scorned, and it can negatively affect the flavor of traditional absinthe.

There are a few Czech products that claim to have levels of thujone, which would make them illegal to sell in Europe, as well as the rest of the world. Some of the most expensive Czech products go to the extent of macerating wormwood in the bottle quite similar to an absinthe kit. There is no historical basis for a thujone level this high.

Storage

Absinthe that is artificially colored or clear is relatively stable and can be bottled in a clear container. If naturally colored absinthe is exposed to light, the chlorophyll breaks down, changing the color from emerald green to yellow green to brown. Pre-ban and vintage absinthes are often of a distinct amber color as a result of this process. Though this color is considered a mark of maturity in vintage absinthes, it is regarded as undesirable in contemporary absinthe. Due to this fragility, naturally colored absinthe is typically bottled in dark UV resistant wine bottles.

Absinthe should be stored in a cool, room temperature, dry place away from light and heat. They should also be kept out of the refrigerator and freezer as anethole can crystallize inside the bottle, creating a 'scum' in the bottle which may or may not dissolve back into solution as the bottle warms. Properly stored absinthes not only maintain their quality, but many improve in aroma, flavor, and complexity with aging.

History

File:Absinthepster.jpg

Privat-Livemont’s 1896 poster

The precise origin of absinthe is unclear. The medical use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt and is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, circa 1550 BC. Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves were used as remedies by the ancient Greeks.. Moreover, there is evidence of the existence of a wormwood-flavored wine, absinthites oinos, in ancient Greece.

The first clear evidence of absinthe in the modern sense of a distilled spirit containing green anise and fennel, however, dates to the 18th century. According to legend, absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, Switzerland, around 1792 (the exact date varies by account). Ordinaire's recipe was passed on to the Henriod sisters of Couvet, who sold absinthe as a medicinal elixir. By other accounts, the Henriod sisters may have been making the elixir before Ordinaire's arrival. In either case, a certain Major Dubied acquired the formula from the sisters and in 1797, with his son Marcellin and son-in-law Henry-Louis Pernod, opened the first absinthe distillery, Dubied Père et Fils, in Couvet. In 1805 they built a second distillery in Pontarlier, France, under the new company name Maison Pernod Fils. Pernod Fils remained one of the most popular brand of absinthe up until the ban of the drink in France in 1915.

File:Pernodad.jpg

A vintage Pernod Fils absinthe advertisement

Absinthe's popularity grew steadily through the 1840s, when absinthe was given to French troops as a malaria treatment [1]. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them, and it became popular at bars and bistros.

By the 1860s absinthe had become so popular that in most cafés and cabarets, 5 p.m. signaled l’heure verte ('the green hour'). It was favored by all social classes, from the wealthy bourgeoisie to poor Bohemian artists. By the 1880s, the onset of mass production caused the price of absinthe to drop significantly, the market expanded, and this, combined with the wine shortage in France during the 1880s and 1890s, caused absinthe to soon became the drink of choice in France. By 1910 the French were consuming 36 million litres of absinthe per year, more than they drank wine.

Outside of France, absinthe has been consumed in Czech lands (then part of Austria-Hungary) since at least 1888, notably by Czech artists, some of whom had an affinity for Paris, frequenting Prague's famous Cafe Slavia. Its wider appeal in Bohemia itself is uncertain, though it was sold in and around Prague. There is evidence that at least one local liquor distillery in Bohemia was making absinthe at the turn of the 20th century.

Ban

Spurred by the temperance movement and wine makers' associations, absinthe was publicly associated with violent crimes and social disorder.

File:Absinthefairy.jpg

Albert Maignan's “Green Muse” (1895): A poet succumbs to the green fairy.

A critic said that:

Absinthe makes you crazy and criminal, provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis, and has killed thousands of French people. It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman, and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country.

Edgar Degas' 1876 painting L'Absinthe (Absinthe) (now at the Musée d'Orsay) epitomized the popular view of absinthe 'addicts' as sodden and benumbed. Although he mentioned it only once by name, Émile Zola described their serious intoxication in his novel L'Assommoir.

Boche had known a joiner who had stripped himself stark naked in the rue Saint-Martin and died doing the polka—he was an absinthe-drinker.

In 1905 it was reported that Jean Lanfray murdered his family and attempted to kill himself after drinking absinthe. The fact that he was an alcoholic who had drunk considerably after the two glasses of absinthe in the morning was overlooked, and the murders were blamed solely on absinthe. The Lanfray murders were the last straw, and a petition to ban absinthe in Switzerland was signed by over 82,000 people.

In 1906 Belgium and Brazil banned the sale and redistribution of absinthe, although they were not the first. Absinthe was banned as early as 1898 in the colony of the Congo Free State. In Switzerland, the prohibition of absinthe was even written into the constitution in 1907, following a popular initiative. The Netherlands banned absinthe in 1909, followed by the United States in 1912 and France in 1915. Around the same time, Australia banned the liquor too.

The prohibition of absinthe in France led to the growing popularity of pastis and ouzo, anise-flavored liqueurs that do not use wormwood. The Pernod distillery moved their absinthe production to Catalonia, Spain, where absinthe was still legal but slow sales in the 1960s eventually caused them to close down - even though a few microdistilleries continued to exist in the area.

In Switzerland, the ban drove absinthe underground. Evidence suggests small home clandestine distillers have been producing absinthe after the ban, focusing on Les Blanches or Les Bleues as it was easier to disguise a clear product as non-absinthe.

Many countries never banned absinthe, notably Britain, where absinthe had not been as popular as in mainland Europe.

Modern revival

Modern absinthe. Left Vertes, right blanches, with a prepared glass in front of each.

In the 1990s an importer, BBH Spirits, realized that there was no UK law prohibiting the sale of absinthe, as it had never been banned there. Hill's Liquere, a Czech distillery, began manufacturing Hill's Absinth, a Bohemian-style absinthe, which helped begin a modern resurgence in absinthe's popularity. Absinthe had also never been banned in Spain or Portugal, where it continues to be made. These absinthes - British, Czech, Spanish and Portuguese varieties - date mostly from the 1990s, are generally Bohemian-style, macerated and not distilled, and are considered by many absinthe connoisseurs to be of inferior quality.

France never repealed its 1915 ban on absinthe, but in 1988 a law was passed stating that only beverages that do not comply with European Union regulations with respect to thujone content, or that call themselves 'absinthe' explicitly, fall under the old ban. This has resulted in the re-emergence of French absinthes, now labeled liqueur à base de plantes d'absinthe or liqueur aux extraits d'absinthe ('wormwood-based liqueur' or 'liqueur with wormwood extract'). Many absinthes marketed openly in other countries are re-labeled to meet these legal guidelines for sale in France. Interestingly, as the 1915 law regulates only the sale of absinthe in France but not its production, many manufacturers also produce variants destined for export which are plainly labeled 'absinthe'. La Fée Absinthe, released in 2000, was the first brand of absinthe distilled and bottled in France since the 1915 ban, initially for export from France, but now one of roughly fifty French-produced absinthes available in France.

Absinthe has never been illegal to import or manufacture in Australia. Importation requires a permit under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulation 1956 due to a restriction on importing any product containing "oil of wormwood". In 2000 there was an amendment by Foods Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) as part of a new consolidation of the Food Code across Australia and New Zealand to make all wormwood species prohibited herbs for food purposes under Food Standard 1.4.4. Prohibited and Restricted Plants and Fungi but this was inconsistent with other parts of the pre-existing Food Code. The proposed amendment was withdrawn in 2002 during the transition between the two Codes, thereby continuing to allow absinthe manufacture and importation through the existing permit-based system. These events were erroneously reported by the media as Australia having reclassified it from a prohibited product to a restricted product. There is now an Australian-produced brand of absinthe called Moulin Rooz.

Collection of absinthe spoons. These specialized spoons are used to hold the sugar cube over which ice-cold water is poured to dilute the absinthe. Note the slot on the handle that allows the spoon to rest securely on the brim of the glass.

In the Netherlands, this law was successfully challenged by the Amsterdam wine seller Menno Boorsma in July 2004, making absinthe legal once again. Belgium, as part of an effort to simplify its laws, removed its absinthe law on 1 January 2005, citing (as did the Dutch judge) European food regulations as sufficient to render the law unnecessary (and indeed, in conflict with the spirit of the Single European Market).

In Switzerland, the constitutional ban on absinthe was repealed in 2000 during an overhaul of the national constitution, although the prohibition was written into ordinary law instead. Later that law was repealed, so from March 1, 2005, absinthe is again legal in its country of origin. Absinthe is now not only sold in Switzerland, but is once again distilled in its Val-de-Travers birthplace, with Kübler and La Clandestine Absinthe among the first new brands to reemerge.

It is once again legal to produce and sell absinthe in practically every country where alcohol is legal, the major exception being the United States, but as of 2007 absinthe's "banned status" in the States is changing, and two brands, Lucid and Kübler, began to be sold openly within the U.S. Laws concerning other absinthes are still unclear because it is not technically illegal to possess or consume other brands of absinthe in the United States. In 2007, St. George Absinthe Verte from St. George Spirits of Alameda, California became the first brand of American-made absinthe legally produced and sold in the U.S. in nearly a century.

Hausgemacht absinthe

German for home-made (often abbreviated HG), also called clandestine (not to be confused with the brand), hausgemacht absinthe is a type of absinthe home distilled by hobbyists. Mainly for personal use and not for sale, clandestine absinthe is produced in small quantities allowing experienced distillers to personally select herbs and fine tune each batch. Clandestine production increased after the ban on absinthe, when small producers went underground, most notably in Switzerland. Although the Swiss produced both vertes and blanches before the ban, clear absinthe (known as La Bleue) became popular as it was easier to hide. Though the Swiss ban was recently lifted, many clandestine distillers have yet to become legal. Authorities believe high taxes on alcohol and the mystique of being underground has kept many from seeking a license. Those that have become legal often use the 'clandestine' moniker on their products. HG absinthe should not be confused with absinthe kits.

Cruise ship mystery

In January 2006 a widely published Associated Press wire service article echoed the press' sensational absinthe scare of a century earlier. It was reported that on the night he disappeared, George Allen Smith (a Greenwich, Connecticut, man who in July 2005 vanished from aboard the Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas while on his honeymoon cruise) and other passengers drank a bottle of absinthe. The story noted the modern revival and included quotes from various sources suggesting that absinthe remains a serious and dangerous hallucinogenic drug:

In large amounts, it would certainly make people see strange things and behave in a strange manner. It gives people different, unusual ideas that they wouldn't have had of their own accord because of its stimulative effect on the mind.

— Jad Adams, author, "Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle"

Absinthe is banned in the United States because of harmful neurological effects caused by a toxic chemical called thujone

— Michael Herndon, spokesman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The story also noted: "Defenders of the drink say it is safe and its harmful effects a myth." Jad Adams and Ted Breaux were interviewed on MSNBC about this issue. Ted Breaux had this to say:

One thing we know is that absinthe, old and new, does not contain a lot of thujone. And what we know, from certain scientific studies, which have been published in the past year or so, is that, first of all, thujone is not present in any absinthe in sufficient concentration to cause any type of deleterious effects in humans.

— Rita Cosby

Controversy

It was once thought that excessive absinthe drinking had worse effects than those associated with overindulgence in other forms of alcohol, a belief that led to diagnoses of the disease of 'absinthism'. One of the first vilifications of Absinthe was an 1864 experiment in which a certain Dr. Magnan exposed a guinea pig to large doses of pure wormwood vapor and another to alcohol vapors. The guinea pig exposed to wormwood experienced convulsive seizures, while the animal exposed to alcohol did not. Dr. Magnan would later blame the chemical thujone, contained in wormwood, for these effects.

Past reports estimated thujone levels in absinthe as high — up to 260 mg per kg of absinthe. More recent studies have shown that very little of the thujone present in wormwood actually makes it into a properly distilled absinthe, even one using historical recipes and methods. Most proper absinthes, both vintage and modern, are within the current EU limits.

Tests on mice show an LD50 of around 45 mg thujone per kg of body weight, much higher than what is contained in absinthe and the high amount of alcohol would kill a person many times over before the thujone became a danger. Although direct effects on humans are unknown, many have consumed thujone in higher amounts than present in absinthe through non-controversial sources like sage oil, which can be up to 50% thujone.

A study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol concluded that a high concentration of thujone in alcohol has negative effects on attention performance. It slowed down reaction time, and caused subjects to concentrate their attention in the central field of vision. Medium doses did not produce an effect noticeably different from plain alcohol. The high dose of thujone used in the study was larger than what can currently be obtained, even in 'high thujone' absinthe that cannot be sold legally in the European Union. While the effects of this high dose were statistically significant in a double blind test, the test subjects themselves could still not reliably identify which samples were the ones containing thujone. As most people describe the effects of absinthe as a more lucid and aware drunk, this suggests that thujone is not the cause of any of absinthe's alleged secondary effects.

Effects of Absinthe

Edouard Manet, The Absinthe Drinker

Absinthe has long been believed to be hallucinogenic. This belief got a contemporary boost in the 1970s when a scientific paper mistakenly reported thujone was related to THC, the active chemical in marijuana, which has hallucinogenic properties. Ten years after his 19th century experiments with wormwood oil, the French Dr. Magnan studied 250 cases of alcoholism and claimed that those who drank absinthe were worse off than those drinking ordinary alcohol, and that they experienced rapid-onset hallucinations. Such accounts by absinthe opponents were embraced by its most famous users, many of whom were artists and bohemians. In one of the most famous accounts of absinthe drinking from the 19th century, Oscar Wilde describes the feeling of tulips on his legs after leaving a bar. Other famous artists and writers who helped popularize the notion that absinthe had powerful psychoactive properties included Vincent van Gogh, who suffered from mental instability throughout his life and Toulouse Lautrec.

Today it is known that absinthe does not cause hallucinations, especially ones similar to those described in 19th century studies. Thujone, the supposed active chemical in absinthe, is a GABA antagonist and while it can produce muscle spasms in large doses, there is no evidence that it causes hallucinations. It has been speculated that reports of hallucinogenic effects of absinthe may have been due to poisonous chemicals being added to cheaper versions of the drink in the 19th century, to give it a more vivid colour.

However, the debate over whether absinthe produces effects on the human mind additional to those of alcohol has not been conclusively resolved. The effects of absinthe have been described by some artists as mind opening. The most commonly reported experience is a 'clear-headed' feeling of inebriation — a form of 'lucid drunkenness'. Some modern specialists, such as chemist, historian and absinthe distiller Ted Breaux, claim that alleged secondary effects of absinthe may be caused by the fact that some of the herbal compounds in the drink act as stimulants, while others act as sedatives, creating an overall lucid effect of awakening.

Long term effects of low absinthe consumption in humans remain unknown, although it is known that the herbs contained in absinthe have both painkilling and antiparasitic properties.

Cultural impact

Main article: Absinthe in popular culture

L’Absinthe, by Edgar Degas.

The legacy of absinthe as a mysterious, addictive, and mind-altering drink continues to this day. Absinthe has been seen or featured in fine art, movies, video, music and literature. The modern absinthe revival has had an effect on its portrayal. It is often shown as an unnaturally glowing green liquid which is set on fire before drinking, even though traditionally neither is true. In addition, it is most commonly known in the media for over-the-top hallucinations.

Historical

Numerous artists and writers living in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries were noted absinthe drinkers and featured absinthe in their works. These include Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet, Amedeo Modigliani, Arthur Rimbaud, Guy de Maupassant, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Verlaine. Later authors and artists would draw from this cultural well including Pablo Picasso, August Strindberg, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. Aleister Crowley was also noted for his habitual Absinthe use.

Modern

The mystery and illicit quality surrounding the popular view of absinthe has played into modern music, movies and television shows. These depictions vary in their authenticity, often applying dramatic license to depict the drink as everything from aphrodisiac to poison.

Regulations

Currently, most countries do not have a legal definition of absinthe (unlike Scotch whisky or cognac). Manufacturers can label a product 'absinthe' or 'absinth', whether or not it matches the traditional definition. Due to many countries never banning absinthe, not every country has regulations specifically governing it.

Australia

Bitters can contain a maximum 35 mg/kg thujone, other alcoholic beverages can contain a maximum 10 mg/kg of thujone. In Australia, import and sales require a special permit although absinthe is readily available in many bottle shops.

Absinthe containing wormwood cannot be sent through the Australian postal system. It is unresolved whether or not it is permitted in luggage in non-commercial quantities for personal use. While the legislation would appear to be clear, it is sold by duty-free retailers at 'Arrivals' at Australian international airports such as Kingsford Smith.

Canada

In Canada, liquor laws are under the jurisdiction of the provincial governments. British Columbia has no limits on thujone content, although several associations are petitioning for bans; Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia allow 10 mg/kg thujone; Québec allows 15 mg per kg (according to the SAQ); and all other provinces do not allow the sale of absinthe containing thujone (although, in Saskatchewan, one can purchase any liquor, with a minimum of one case, usually 12 bottles x 750 ml or 8 x 1L). Individual liquor boards must approve each product before it may be sold, and currently only Hill's Absinth, Czech Absinth s.r.o., Elie-Arnaud Denoix, Pernod, Absente, Versinthe and, in limited release, La Fée Absinthe are approved. Like any alcohol, absinthe can only be imported by the proper government agencies and imports by individuals to a private address are prohibited.

Production is also regulated by the provincial government. Recently, Okanagan Spirits in British Columbia was allowed to distill a traditional style of absinthe that closely resembles absinthes from France and Switzerland.

Okanagan Spirits, a distillery based in Vernon BC, has produced Taboo, which has been approved for sale in BC, Alberta and Ontario and is even available on the shelves of BC's provincially run liquor stores. This is Canada's only authentic Absinthe, made using a traditional European recipe.

European Union

The European Union permits a maximum thujone level of 10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with more than 25% ABV, and 35 mg/kg in alcohol labeled as bitters. Member countries regulate absinthe production within this framework. Sale of absinthe is permitted in all EU countries unless they further regulate it.

The end of the Green Fairy (1910): Critical poster by Albert Gantner illustrating the absinthe ban in Switzerland.

France

In addition to EU standards, products explicitly called 'absinthe' cannot be sold in France, although they can be produced for export. Absinthe is now commonly labeled as spiritueux à base de plantes d'absinthe ('wormwood-based spirits'). France also regulates fenchone, a chemical in the herb fennel, to 5 mg/l. This makes many brands of Swiss absinthe illegal without reformulation.

Switzerland

In Switzerland the sale and production of absinthe was prohibited from 1908 to 2005, but the ban was lifted on March 1, 2005. To be legally made or sold in Switzerland, absinthe must be distilled and either uncolored or naturally colored.

United States

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection literature, "The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited." On the other hand, FDA regulations allow Artemisia species in foods or beverages, but those that contain Artemisia species, white cedar, oak moss, tansy or Yarrow, must be thujone free. Other herbs that contain thujone have no restrictions. For example, sage and sage oil (which can be almost 50% thujone) are on the FDA's list of substances generally recognized as safe.

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law and regulations among American absinthe connoisseurs is that it is probably legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the U.S. It is prohibited to sell items meant for human consumption which contain thujone derived from Artemisia species. (This derives from a Food and Drug Administration regulation, as opposed to a DEA regulation.) Customs regulations specifically forbid the importation of 'absinthe'. Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs if it appears to be for human consumption and can be seized inside the U.S. with a warrant.

A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States and does not contain Grande Wormwood. This was the first US approval referring to "absinthe" on the front label; the front label says "Absinthe Refined" but the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) classified the product as Liqueur.

In 2007 the first legally available absinthe has been approved for sale in the United States. These brands must pass TTB testing, which is performed by the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method and TTB considers a product to be thujone-free if the FDA's test measures less than 10ppm (equal to 10mg/Kg) thujone. The sale of absenthe in the state of Maryland is legal.

Vanuatu

The Absinthe (Prohibition) Act 1915, passed in the New Hebrides, has never been repealed, and is included in the 1988 Vanuatu consolidated legislation, and contains the following all-encompassing restriction: The manufacture, importation, circulation and sale wholesale or by retail of absinthe or similar liquors in Vanuatu shall be prohibited.

References

• Ian Hutton (September 2002). "Myth, reality and absinthe" (pdf). Current Drug Discovery September 2002 contents (archived). Thomson Scientific. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help) republished: Ian Hutton. "Myth, Reality and Absinthe" (html).
• "Oxygénée's Absinthe History & FAQ III". Absinthe FAQ at The Virtual Absinthe Museum: History and Origins of Absinthe. Oxygenee Ltd. 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-30. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)

Notes

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Rothstein, Edward. "Absinthe Returns in a Glass Half Full of Mystique and Misery", New York Times November 12, 2007 accessed November 12, 2007
• The Virtual Absinthe Museum — An online museum of absinthe history, lore, art and antiques.
• La Fée Verte — An online user forum and absinthe guide with user reviews and a reference library of absinthe-related articles.
• The Wormwood Society — An independent organization supporting changes to the U.S. laws and regulations concerning absinthe. Provides articles, a forum and legal information.
• Absinthe.se — A collection of absinthe reviews and information.
• Thujone.info - A data bank of peer-reviewed articles on thujone, absinthe, and absinthism, with independent thujone ratings of some commercial brands.
• "A Liquor of Legend Makes a Comeback", New York Times, December 5, 2007 - accessed December 5, 2007.

Articles

• Absinthe's second coming — An April 2001 article in Cigar Aficionado about the first absinthe commercially produced in France since the 1915 ban.
• Swiss face sobering future after legalizing absinthe — A March 2005 Reuters article about the legalization of absinthe in Switzerland.
• The Mystery of the Green Menace — A November 2005 WIRED Magazine article about a New Orleans man who has researched the chemical content of Absinthe and now distills it in France.
• The Return of the Green Faerie — A wine and spirit journal article about the history, ritual, and artistic cult of Absinthe.
• Turner, Jack "Green Gold: The return of absinthe". The New Yorker (March 13 2006):38–44.
• Absinthe - Demystifying the Storied Drink — An April 2006 Associated Press/asap Flash interactive, multimedia piece about absinthe.
• Barely Legal: American Absinthe Passes the Taste Test — Wired magazine article reviews Lucid.
• Absinthism: A fictitious 19th century syndrome with present impact Padosch, S.A., Lachenmeier, D.W., and Kroener, L.U. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2006, 1:14.
• [2] - MacLean's Article December 17th 2007