Banned — Absinthe: the demon drink of madness and depravity
“A glass of absinthe is as poetical as anything else in the world. What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset” — Oscar Wilde.
Absinthe lives in our collective cultural consciousness as the drink that shook the world, inducing madness, hallucinations, violence and depravity in anyone who drank it. It seems indeed like the ‘green fairy’ plays the part of a perverted drunken muse for all kinds of misbehaviour.
Is it really so bad though? Absinthe is named after absinthium, a Latin word though to have its roots in the ancient Greek word for wormwood Artemisia absinthium – its primary ingredient and the reason for its infamous neon green colour. It tastes primarily of liquorice (because it’s flavoured with anise) and sweet fennel.
It was popularised by French soldiers returning from North Africa in the 19th century and was soon hugely popular across France and Europe, eventually making its way to the US, where it also developed ardent devotees.
It is a potent drink, but it’s by no means an outlier. The strongest Absinthe is usually around 76% ABV, but that is far from the strongest liquor in the world. That honour goes to Spirtyus at an eye-watering 96% ABV. It’s not the alcohol content that gives Absinthe its infamy, it’s an obscure compound called…
