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Absinthe Green Fairyis an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. Although it was developed as an elixir in the 18th century it is one of the most controversial and well known drinks of everytime.

Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is absurdly strong between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. It is named as “Green Fairy” due to it’s emerald green color. There is utilization of herbs in the preparation of this distilled liquor. Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel (fennell) are the main herbs. 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. The herbs like calamus were used by some manufacturers which was thought to be psychoactive. The essential oil extract from the herbs is responsible for louche in Absinthe 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. People know Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde as Absinthe drinkers. 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 simply the explanation that prohibition campaigners required. In 1915 the sale of Absinthe was made illegal due to it’s link with the murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France. Many countries banned it but it remained legal in the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal.

The psychedelic effects of intaking the Green Fairy was due to the chemical thujone present in wormwood. Thujone was thought to be similar to THC in cannabis. However Absinthe is mainly alcohol, ethanol, and therefore only contains minute quantities of thujone. According to the research Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong liquor and the alcohol content in it can harm anyone not the thujone. One can get a lot of studies and articles on the subject. As it is twice strong than a vodka or a whisky so one must be careful about the amount while drinking it.

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. Today Absinthe is legal in many countries with controlled thujone levels and the United States only allows Absinthe with decent quantity of thujone.

Internet is the best way of getting Absinthe by the bottle or for ordering Absinthe essences.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.

To get a decadent drink one can mix Absinthe Green Fairy with champagne!

 

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