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AbsintheFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Absinthe (IPA English: [ˈæbsɪnθ] IPA French: [ap.sɛ ̃t]) is a distilled, highlyalcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers andleaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood.Although it is sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe does notcontain added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit.[1]

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

Absinthe originated in Switzerland as an elixir, but is better known for itspopularity in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly amongParisian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink stilllinger in popular culture. In its heyday, the most popular brand of absintheworldwide 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 anumber of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, there is no evidence showing it tobe 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 itsmanufacture and sale.

Contents1 Etymology2 Production

2.1 Hausgemacht absinthe2.2 Absinthe kits

3 Preparation4 Czech, or Bohemian, absinth5 History

5.1 Ban5.2 Modern revival5.3 Cruise ship mystery

6 Controversy7 Cultural impact

7.1 Historical7.2 Modern

A reservoir glass filled with anaturally colored verte next to an

absinthe spoon.

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Look up absinthe in Wiktionary, thefree dictionary.

8 Regulations8.1 Australia and New Zealand8.2 Canada8.3 European Union8.4 France8.5 Switzerland8.6 United States

9 References10 External links

Etymology

The French word absinthe can refer either to the liquor or to theactual wormwood plant (grande absinthe being Artemisiaabsinthium, and petite absinthe being Artemisia pontica). The wordderives from the Latin absinthium, which is in turn a stylization ofthe Greek αψινθιον (apsinthion). Some claim that the word means "undrinkable" in Greek, but it may instead belinked to the Persian root spand or aspand, or the variant esfand, which may have been, rather, Peganum harmala, avariety of rue, another famously bitter herb. That this particular plant was commonly burned as a protective offeringmay 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 commonancestor, is unclear.[2]

Absinth (without the "e") is a spelling variation of absinthe often seen in central Europe. Because so manyBohemian-style products use it, many groups see it as synonymous with bohemian absinth, even though that is notalways the case.

Production

The main herbs used are grandewormwood, florence fennel and greenanise, often called the "holy trinity."Many other herbs may be used as well,such as hyssop, melissa, star anise andpetite wormwood (Artemisia ponticaor Roman wormwood). Variousrecipes also include angelica root,Sweet Flag, dittany leaves, coriander,veronica, juniper, nutmeg, and variousmountain herbs.

The simple maceration of wormwoodin alcohol without distillationproduces an extremely bitter drink,due to the presence of thewater-soluble absinthine, one of themost bitter substances known.Authentic recipes call for distillationafter a primary maceration and before

Anise, one of the three main herbsused in production of absintheGrande Wormwood, one of the three

main herbs used in production ofabsinthe

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the secondary or "coloring" maceration. The distillation of wormwood, anise, and Florence fennel first produces acolorless distillate that leaves the alembic at around 82% alcohol. It can be left clear, called a Blanche or la Bleue(used for bootleg Swiss absinthe), or the well-known green color of the beverage can be imparted either artificiallyor with chlorophyll by steeping petite wormwood, hyssop, and melissa in the liquid. After this process, the resultingproduct is reduced with water to the desired percentage of alcohol. Over time and exposure to light, the chlorophyllbreaks down, changing the colour from emerald green to yellow green to brown. Pre-ban and vintage absinthes areoften of a distinct amber color as a result of this process.

Nontraditional varieties are made by cold-mixing herbs, essences or oils in alcohol, with the distillation processomitted. Often called "oil mixes", these types of absinthe are not necessarily bad, though they are generallyconsidered to be of lower quality than properly distilled absinthe and often carry a distinct bitter aftertaste.

Alcohol makes up the majority of the drink and its concentration is extremely high, between 45% and 89.9%,[3]

though there is no historical evidence that any commercial vintage absinthe was higher than 74%. Given the highstrength and low alcohol solubility of many of the herbal components, absinthe is usually not imbibed "straight" butconsumed after a fairly elaborate preparation ritual.

Historically, there were five grades of absinthe: ordinaire, demi-fine, fine, supérieure and Suisse (which does notdenote origin), in order of increasing alcoholic strength. Most absinthes contain between 60% and 75% alcohol. It issaid to improve materially with storage. In the late 19th century, cheap brands of absinthe were occasionallyadulterated by profiteers with copper, zinc, indigo plant, or other dyes to impart the green color, and with antimonytrichloride to produce or enhance the louche effect. It is also thought that the use of cheaper industrial alcohol andpoor distillation technique by the manufacturers of cheaper brands resulted in contamination with methanol, fuselalcohol, and similar unwanted distillates. This addition of toxic chemicals is quite likely to have contributed toabsinthe's reputation as a hallucination-inducing or otherwise harmful beverage.

Hausgemacht absinthe

German for homemade (often abbreviated HG), also called clandestine, hausgemacht absinthe is home-distilled byhobbyists and thus illegal in most countries. Mainly for personal use and not for sale, clandestine absinthe isproduced in small quantities allowing experienced distillers to select the best herbs and fine-tune each batch.Clandestine production got a major boost after the ban of absinthe when small producers went underground,especially 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, manyclandestine distillers have yet to become legal; the authorities believe high taxes on alcohol and the mystique ofbeing underground has kept many from seeking a license.[4] Those that have become legal often still use the"clandestine" moniker on their products. HG absinthe should not be confused with absinthe kits.

Absinthe kits

There are numerous recipes for homemade absinthe floating around on the Internet, many of which revolve aroundsoaking or mixing a kit or store-bought herbs and wormwood extract with high-proof liquor such as vodka orEverclear. Even though these do-it-yourself kits have gained in popularity, it is simply not possible to produceabsinthe without distillation. Absinthe distillation, like the production of any fine liquor, is a science and an art andrequires expertise and care to properly manage.

Besides being unpleasant to drink and a pale impression of authentic distilled absinthe, these homemade concoctionscan sometimes be poisonous. Many of these recipes call for the usage of liberal amounts of wormwood extract oressence of wormwood in the hopes of increasing the believed psychoactive effects. Consuming essential oils will notonly fail to produce a high, but can be very dangerous. Wormwood extract can cause renal failure and death due toexcessive amounts of thujone, which in large quantities acts as a convulsive neurotoxin. Essential oil of wormwoodshould never be consumed straight.

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Preparation

Traditionally, absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designedslotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of thespoon. Ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink isdiluted 3:1 to 5:1. During this process, the components that are not solublein water, mainly those from anise, fennel and star anise, come out ofsolution and cloud the drink; the resulting milky opalescence is called thelouche (Fr. "opaque" or "shady", pronounced "loosh"). The addition ofwater is important, causing the herbs to "blossom" and bringing out many ofthe flavors originally overpowered by the anise. For most people, a goodquality absinthe should not require sugar, but it is added according to tasteand will also thicken the mouth-feel of the drink.

With increased popularity, the absinthe fountain, a large jar of ice water on abase with spigots, came into use. It allowed a number of drinks to beprepared at once, and with a hands-free drip patrons were able to socializewhile louching a glass.

Although many bars served absinthe in standard glasses, a number of glasseswere specifically made for absinthe, having a dose line, bulge or bubble in

its lower portion to mark how much absinthe should be poured into it (often around 1 oz (30 ml)).

Czech, or Bohemian, absinth

Often called Bohemian-style, Czech-style, anise-free absinthe or justabsinth (without the "e"), Bohemian absinth is produced mainly in theCzech Republic where it gets its Bohemian designation. It contains littleto no anise, fennel or other herbs normally found in the more traditionalabsinthes produced in countries such as France and Switzerland, and canbe extremely bitter. Often the only similarities with its traditionalcounterpart are the use of wormwood and a high alcohol content; for allintents and purposes, it should be considered a completely differentproduct. In most cases, Bohemian-style absinths are not processed bydistillation, but are rather high-proof alcohol or vodka which has beencold-mixed with herbal extracts and artificial coloring. Not all absinthproduced in the Czech Republic is in the Bohemian style, and there hasbeen a resurgence of traditional absinthe to compete better with thegrowing world market.

Absinthe (with anise) has been consumed in Czech lands (then part of Austria-Hungary) since the turn of the 20thcentury, notably by Czech artists, some of which had an affinity for France, frequenting Prague's Cafe Slavia.[5] Itswider appeal is uncertain. Contemporary Czech producers claim absinth has been produced in the Czech Republicsince the 1920s, and that their brands use the same eighty-year-old recipes (i.e. in case of the Hills company, "98%the same"), but there is no independent evidence to support these claims.[6] Since there are currently few legaldefinitions for absinthe, producers have taken advantage of its romantic associations and psychoactive reputation tomarket 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 containenough thujone to cause any noticeable effect.

The Czech- or Bohemian-style absinth lacks many of the oils in absinthe that create the louche, and a modern ritual

Preparing absinthe the traditionalway.

"Absinthe Drinker" by Viktor Oliva

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involving fire was created to take this into account. In this ritual, absinth is added to a glass and a sugar cube on aspoon is placed over it. The sugar cube is soaked in absinth then lit on fire. The cube is then dropped into the absinthsetting it on fire, and water is added till the fire goes out, normally a 1:1 ratio. The crumbling sugar can provide aminor simulation of the louche seen in traditional absinthe, and the lower water ratio enhances effects of thehigh-strength alcohol.

It is sometimes claimed that this ritual is old and traditional; however, this is false. This method of preparing absinthwas in fact first observed by Czech manufactures in the late 1990s[7] and used as a marketing tool, but has sincebeen accepted by many as historical fact, largely because this method has filtered its way into several contemporarymovies. Amongst many of the more traditional absinthe enthusiasts, this method of preparing absinthe is lookeddown upon, and it can negatively affect the flavor of traditional absinthe.[8]

History

The precise origin of absinthe is unclear. According to popular legend,absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. PierreOrdinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, Switzerland, around 1792 (theexact date varies by account). Ordinaire's recipe was passed on to the Henriodsisters of Couvet, who sold absinthe as a medicinal elixir. In fact, by otheraccounts, the Henriod sisters may have already been making the elixir beforeOrdinaire's arrival. In either case, one Major Dubied in turn acquired theformula from the sisters and, in 1797, with his son Marcellin and son-in-lawHenry-Louis Pernod, opened the first absinthe distillery, Dubied Père et Fils,in Couvet. In 1805 they built a second distillery in Pontarlier, France, underthe new company name Maison Pernod Fils.[9]

Absinthe's popularity grew steadily until the 1840s, when absinthe was givento French troops as a fever preventative. When the troops returned home, theybrought their taste for absinthe with them, and it became popular at bars andbistros.

By the 1860s, absinthe had become so popular that in most cafés and cabaretsthat 5 p.m. signaled l'heure verte ("the green hour"). Still, it remainedexpensive and was favored mainly by the bourgeoisie and eccentric bohemianartists. By the 1880s, however, the price had dropped significantly, the market expanded, and absinthe soon becamethe drink of France; by 1910 the French were consuming 36 million litres of absinthe per year.

Ban

Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers' associations, absinthe was publicized in connection withseveral violent crimes supposedly committed under the influence of the drink. This, combined with risinghard-liquor consumption due to the wine shortage in France during the 1880s and 1890s, effectively labeled absinthea social menace. Its critics 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 degenerateof the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country." [10] Edgar Degas's 1876painting L’Absinthe (Absinthe) (now at the Musée d'Orsay) epitomized the popular view of absinthe "addicts" assodden and benumbed; Émile Zola described their serious intoxication in his novel L'Assommoir.

Absinthe was banned as early as 1898 in the Congo Free State (later Belgian Congo).

The Lanfray murders were the last straw for absinthe. In 1905 it was reported that Jean Lanfray murdered his family

A vintage Pernod Fils absintheadvertisement.

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and attempted to kill himself after drinking absinthe. The fact that he was an alcoholic who had drunk considerablyafter the two glasses of absinthe in the morning was forgotten, and the murders were blamed solely on absinthe.[11]

A petition to ban absinthe in Switzerland was quickly signed by over 82,000 people.

Soon thereafter (in 1906), Belgium and Brazil banned the sale and redistribution of absinthe. In Switzerland theprohibition of absinthe was even written into the constitution in 1907, following a popular initiative. TheNetherlands came next, banning 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 growingpopularity of pastis and ouzo, anise-flavored liqueurs that do not use wormwood. Although Pernod moved theirabsinthe production to Spain, where absinthe was still legal, slow sales eventually caused it to close down. InSwitzerland it drove absinthe underground. Evidence suggests small home clandestine distillers have been producingabsinthe since the ban, focusing on La Bleues as it was easier to hide a clear product. Many countries never bannedabsinthe, which eventually led to its revival.

Modern revival

In the 1990s, an importer, BBH Spirits, realized that there was no UK lawprohibiting the sale of absinthe (as it was never banned there) other than thestandard regulations governing alcoholic beverages. Hill's Liquere, a CzechRepublic distillery founded in 1920, began manufacturing Hill's Absinth, aBohemian-style absinth, which sparked a modern resurgence in absinthe'spopularity.

It had also never been banned in Spain or Portugal, where it continues to bemade. Likewise, the former Spanish and Portuguese New World colonies,especially Mexico, allow the sale of absinthe and it has retained popularitythrough the years.

France never repealed its 1915 law, but in 1988 a law was passed to clarify that only beverages that do not complywith European Union regulations with respect to thujone content, or beverages that call themselves "absinthe"explicitly, fall under that law. This has resulted in the reemergence of French absinthes, now labeled spiritueux àbase de plantes d'absinthe ("wormwood-based spirits"). Interestingly, as the 1915 law regulates only the sale ofabsinthe in France but not its production, many manufacturers also produce variants destined for export which areplainly labeled "absinthe". La Fée Absinthe, launched in 2000, was the first brand of absinthe distilled and bottled inFrance since the 1915 ban, initially mainly for export from France, but now one of over twenty French "spiritueux ...d'absinthe" available in Paris and other French cities.

In December 2000, Australia reclassified it from a prohibited product to a restricted product, requiring a specialpermit to import or sell absinthe, though it is still available in most bottle-shops.[12]

An assortment of modern absinthe.

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In the Netherlands, this law was successfully challenged by the Amsterdamwine-seller Menno Boorsma in July 2004, making absinthe once more legal.Belgium, as part of an effort to simplify its laws, removed its absinthe law onthe first of January 2005, citing (as did the Dutch judge) European foodregulations as sufficient to render the law unnecessary (and indeed, in conflictwith the spirit of the Single European Market).

In Switzerland, the constitutional ban on absinthe was repealed in 2000during a general overhaul of the national constitution, but the prohibition waswritten into ordinary law instead. Later that law was also repealed, so fromMarch 2, 2005, absinthe is again legal in its country of origin, after nearly acentury of prohibition.

It is once again legal to produce and sell absinthe in practically every countrywhere alcohol is legal, the major exception being the United States. It is not,however, illegal to possess or consume absinthe in the United States.

Cruise ship mystery

In January 2006, a widely published Associated Press wire service articleechoed the press's sensationalistic absinthe scare of a century earlier. It wasreported that on the night he disappeared, George Allen Smith IV (aGreenwich, Connecticut, man who in July 2005 vanished from aboard the Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seaswhile on his honeymoon cruise) and other passengers drank a bottle of absinthe. The story noted the modern revivaland included quotes from various sources suggesting that absinthe remains a serious and dangerous hallucinogenicdrug:

"In large amounts it would certainly make people see strange things and behave in a strange manner,"said Jad Adams, author of the book, "Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle." "It givespeople different, unusual ideas which they wouldn't have had on their own accord because of itsstimulative effect on the mind."

Absinthe is banned in the United States because of harmful neurological effects caused by a toxicchemical called thujone, said Michael Herndon, spokesman for the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration.[13]

The story also noted: "Defenders of the drink say it is safe and its harmful effects a myth." Jad Adams and TedBreaux 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 weknow, from certain scientific studies, which have been published in the past year or so, is that, first ofall, thujone is not present in any absinthe in sufficient concentration to cause any type of deleteriouseffects in humans.[14]

Controversy

Collection of absinthe spoons. Thesespecialized spoons were used to holdthe sugar cube over which ice-cold

water was poured to dilute theabsinthe. Note the slot on the handlethat allows the spoon to rest on the

brim of the glass.

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It was thought that excessive absinthe drinking led to effects which werespecifically worse than those associated with overindulgence in other formsof alcohol—which is bound to have been true for some of theless-scrupulously adulterated products, creating a condition calledabsinthism. Undistilled wormwood essential oil contains a substance calledthujone, which is an epileptic and can cause renal failure in extremely highdoses, and the supposed ill effects of the drink were blamed on thatsubstance in 19th-century studies. Many of these studies were flawed, suchas a study by Dr. Magnan in 1869 that exposed a guinea pig to large dosesof pure wormwood oil vapor and another to alcohol vapors. The guinea pigexposed to wormwood had seizures while the other did not. Based on this itwas concluded absinthe was more dangerous than alcohol. These studieswere further taken advantage of as the French word for wormwood is"absinthe," and it was incorrectly stated that absinthe, the drink, had causedthese problems.[15]

Past reports estimated thujone levels in absinthe as high, possibly up to 350mg/kg. More recent studies have shown that very little of the thujone presentin wormwood actually makes it into a properly distilled absinthe, even onerecreated using historical recipes and methods. Most proper absinthes, bothvintage and modern, are naturally within the EU limits.[16] A recent Frenchdistiller has had to add pure essential oil of wormwood to make a"high-thujone" variant of his product. It can remain in higher amounts in oils

produced by other methods than distillation, or when wormwood is macerated and not distilled, especially when theplant stems are used, where thujone content is the highest. Tests on mice show an LD50 of around 45 mg thujoneper kg of body weight,[17] much higher than what is contained in absinthe and the high amount of alcohol would killa person many times over before the thujone became a danger[17]. Although direct effects on humans are unknown,many have consumed thujone in higher amounts than present in absinthe through non-controversial sources likecommon sage and its oil, which can be up to 50% thujone [18]. Long term effects of low wormwood consumption inhumans is unknown as well.

The effects of absinthe have been described by artists as mind-opening and even hallucinogenic and byprohibitionists as turning good people mad and desolate. Both are exaggerations. Sometimes called "secondaryeffects", the most commonly reported experience is a "clear-headed" feeling of inebriation - a "lucid drunk", said tobe caused by the thujone. The placebo effect and individual reaction to the herbs make these secondary effectssubjective and minor compared to the psychoactive effects of alcohol.

A study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol[19] concluded that a high concentration of thujone in alcohol hasnegative effects on attention performance. It slowed down reaction time, and subjects concentrated their attention inthe central field of vision. Medium doses did not produce an effect noticeably different from plain alcohol. The highdose of thujone in this study was larger than what one can get from current beyond-EU-regulation "high thujone"absinthe before becoming too drunk to notice, and while the effects of even this high dose were statisticallysignificant in a double blind test, the test subjects themselves could still not reliably identify which samples were theones containing thujone. As most people describe the effects of absinthe as a more lucid and aware drunk, thissuggests that thujone alone is not the cause of these effects. The deleterious effects of absinthe as well as itshallucingenic properties are a persistent myth often repeated in modern books and scientific journals with noevidence for either.

Cultural impact

Edouard Manet, "The AbsintheDrinker."

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Main article: Absinthe in popular culture

The legacy of absinthe as a mysterious, addictive, and mind-altering drinkcontinues 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 onits portrayal. It is often shown as an unnaturally glowing green liquid which isset on fire before drinking, even though traditionally neither is true.

Historical

Numerous artists and writers living in France during the late 19th and early20th centuries were noted absinthe drinkers and featured absinthe in theirworks. These include Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet, Guy deMaupassant, Arthur Rimbaud and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Later authorsand artists would draw from this cultural well including Pablo Picasso, OscarWilde and Ernest Hemingway.

Modern

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

Regulations

Currently, most countries do not have a legal definition of absinthe (unlike, for example, Scotch whisky or cognac).Therefore, manufacturers can label a product "absinthe" or "absinth", regardless of whether it matches the traditionaldefinition. Due to many countries never banning absinthe, not every country has regulations specifically governingit.

Australia and New Zealand

Bitters can contain a maximum 35 mg/kg thujone, other alcoholic beverages can contain a maximum 10 mg/kg [20]

of thujone. In Australia import and sales requires a special permit.

Canada

In Canada, liquor laws are the domain of the provincial governments. British Columbia has no limits on thujonecontent; Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec allow 10 mg/kg thujone, and all other provinces do not allow thesale of absinthe containing thujone (although, in Saskatchewan, one can purchase any liquor available in the worldupon the purchase of a minimum of one case, usually 12 bottles x 750ml or 8 x 1L). The individual liquor boardsmust approve each product before it may be sold on shelves, and currently, only Hill's Absinth, Elie-Arnaud Denoix,Pernod and, in limited release, La Fée Absinthe are approved. Other brands may appear in the future.

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.[21] Member countries regulate absinthe production within thisframework. Sale of absinthe is permitted in all EU countries unless they further regulate it.

L’Absinthe, by Edgar Degas.

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France

In addition to EU standards, products explicitly called "absinthe" cannot besold in France, although they can be produced for export. Absinthe is nowcommonly labeled as spiritueux à base de plantes d'absinthe("wormwood-based spirits"). France also regulates Fenchone, a chemical inthe herb fennel, to 5 mg/l.[22] This makes many brands of Swiss absintheillegal without reformatting.

Switzerland

To be legally sold, absinthe must be distilled and either uncolored ornaturally colored.

United States

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "The importation ofAbsinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthiumis prohibited."[23] This runs contrary to FDA regulations, which allowArtemisia species in foods or beverages, but those that contain Artemisiaspecies, white cedar, oak moss, tansy or Yarrow, must be thujone free.[24]

Other herbs that contain thujone have no restrictions. For example, sage andsage oil (which can be almost 50% thujone[18]) are on the FDA's list ofsubstances generally recognized as safe.[25]

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law and regulations among American absintheconnoisseurs is that it is probably legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the U.S. It is illegal to sellitems meant for human consumption which contain thujone derived from Artemisia species. (This derives from anFood and Drug Administration regulation, as opposed to a DEA regulation.) Customs regulations specifically forbidthe importation of "absinthe". Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs if it appears tobe for human consumption and can be seized inside the U.S. with a warrant.[26][27]

A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of regularwormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States and does not contain thujone.

References^ "Traite de la Fabrication de Liqueurs et de la Distillation des Alcools" Duplais (1882 3rd Ed, Pg 249)1.^ Absinthe etymology (http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Arte_vul.html#absinthe) Retrieved 30-Mar-20062.^ Wine and Spirit Hapsburg page (http://www.wineandspirit.com/absinthe.htm) . Retrieved 18-Mar-2006.3.^ Absinthe bootleggers refuse to go straight(http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/swissinfo.html?siteSect=107&sid=6586791&cKey=1143621269000) . Swiss info.Retrieved 11-may-2006.

4.

^ Cafe Slavia (http://www.reflex.cz/Clanek13219.html)5.^ Oxygénée's Absinthe FAQ VI (http://www.oxygenee.com/absintheFAQ6.html) . The Virtual Absinthe Museum.Retrieved 5-Mar-2006.

6.

^ Origin of the fire ritual (http://www.feeverte.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2880&st=0&p=100509&entry100509)Alan Moss explains the origins of the Czech ritual at Feeverte.net Retrieved 11-May-2006

7.

^ The modern Czech preparation ritual (http://www.eabsinthe.com/drinking-bohemian-absinthe.htm) step by step imagesshowing the czech fire ritual Retrieved 31-Mar-2006

8.

^ "Condensed Absinthe History" (http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/history.html) Retrieved 4-April-20069.

The end of the Green Fairy (1910):Critical poster by Albert Gantner

illustrating the absinthe ban inSwitzerland.

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^ Conrad III, Barnaby; (1988). Absinthe History in a Bottle. Chronicle books. ISBN 0-8118-1650-8 Pg. 11610.^ Conrad III, Barnaby; (1988). Absinthe History in a Bottle. Chronicle books. ISBN 0-8118-1650-8 Pg. 1-411.^ Just add water (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/21/1066631424572.html) Sydney Morning Herald October22, 2003. Retrieved 12-May-2006

12.

^ Christoffersen, John. "Banned liquor latest twist in cruise disappearance"(http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/scn-sa-ct-cruise.1.23jan23,0,1307244.story) . Greenwich Time, 23-Jan-2006. and"Banned liquor latest twist in cruise disappearance"(http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/01/22/banned_liquor_latest_twist_in_cruise_disappearance/. Boston Globe, 22-Jan-2006. Two slightly different edits of the same Associated Press wire service story. Retrieved5-Mar-2006.

13.

^ "'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' for (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11007598/) 23 January" (transcript). MSNBC,23-Jan-2006. Retrieved 5-Mar-2006.

14.

^ Conrad III, Barnaby; (1988). Absinthe History in a Bottle. Chronicle books. ISBN 0-8118-1650-8 Pg. 10115.^ Hutton, Ian. "Thujone: Separating Myth from Reality" (http://www.feeverte.net/thujone.html) and "Determination ofa-/ß-Thujone and Related Terpenes in Absinthe using Solid Phase Extraction and Gas Chromatography"(http://www.emmert-analytik.de/DLR_100_9_S352-356.pdf) . Retrieved 5-Mar-2006.

16.

^ a b Thujone Gamma-Aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification.(http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/97/8/3826) Hold K.,Sirisoma N., Ikeda T., Narahashi T. and Casida J. (2000).Retrieved 22-May-2006.

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^ a b Essential oils from Dalmation Sage (http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/1999/47/i05/abs/jf981170m.html). J. Agric. Food Chem April 29, 1999 Retrieved 12-May-2006.

18.

^ "Absinthe: Attention Performance and Mood under the Influence of Thujone"(http://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/journal/september04/abstract.shtml) Journal of Studies on Alcohol, DETTLING, A. et alRetrieved 21-May-2006.

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^ Standard 1.4.1 Contaminants and Natural Toxicants.(http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/fsc_1_4_1_Contaminants_v78.pdf) Food Standards Australia New Zealand.Retrieved 25-May-2006.

20.

^ "Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Thujone" (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scf/out162_en.pdf) ,European Commission. SCF/CS/FLAV/FLAVOUR/23 ADD2 Final 6 February 2003.

21.

^ Décret n°88-1024 du 2 novembre 1988 (http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/texteconsolide/ADHJA.htm) Retrieved5-Mar-2006.

22.

^ Prohibited and Restricted Items(http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml#Absinthe%20Alcohol) . US Customs andBorder Protection. Retrieved 5-Mar-2006.

23.

^ Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Chapter 1, Part 172-Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food forHuman Consumption (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/FCF172.html) . US Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved5-Mar-2006.

24.

^ Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Chapter 1, Part 182-Substances Generally Recognized as Safe(http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fcf182.html) . US Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 5-Mar-2006.

25.

^ US CODE: Title 19,1595. Searches and seizures(http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode19/usc_sec_19_00001595----000-.html) . Retrieved 12-May-2006.

26.

^ Fée Verte Essential Absinthe FAQ (http://www.feeverte.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2186) . "14. So will I getarrested for possession of absinthe in the U.S.?" Retrieved 12-May-2006.

27.

Höld, K.M., et al. "a-Thujone (the active component of absinthe): y-Aminobutyric acid type A receptormodulation and metabolic detoxification" (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/97/8/3826) . Proceedingsof the National Academy of Sciences 97(April 11, 2000):3826-3831.This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in thepublic domain.

External linksVideo explaining the preparation of absinthe(http://www.infectiousvideos.com/index.php?p=showvid&sid=1296&a=playvid&cr=rpanel)Oxygenee's Virtual Absinthe Museum (http://www.oxygenee.com/absintheMUSEUM.html) — Acomprehensive online museum of absinthe history, lore, art and antiques.

Absinthe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

12 of 12 07.08.2006 22:17

La Fée Verte (http://www.feeverte.net) — The oldest and largest absinthe online-forum. Absinthe BuyersGuide, with hundreds of user reviews. Reference library of absinthe-related articles.The Wormwood Society (http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/) — An independent organization whoseself-declared mission is to help promote accurate, current information about absinthe; to aid in reforminglaws and regulations impacting absinthe in the US. It does not sell absinthe.Absinthe.se (http://www.absinthe.se) — A comprehensive collection of Absinthe reviews and information.Absinthe's second coming(http://www.winespectator.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,220,00.html) — An April2001 article in Cigar Aficionado about the first absinthe commercially produced in France since the 1915ban.Swiss face sobering future after legalizing absinthe(http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20050323-0500-life-absinthe.html) — A March 2005Reuters article about the legalization of absinthe in Switzerland.The Mystery of the Green Menace (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.11/absinthe.html) — ANovember 2005 WIRED Magazine article about a New Orleans man who has researched the chemicalcontent of Absinthe and now distills it in France.The Return of the Green Faerie(http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issues/11-02/11_02_absinthe.htm) — A wine and spirit journalarticle 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 (http://asap.ap.org/data/interactives/_lifestyles/absinthe/) — AnApril 2006 Associated Press/asap Flash interactive, multi-media piece about absinthe.Absinthism: A fictitious 19th century syndrome with present impact(http://www.substanceabusepolicy.com/content/1/1/14) Padosch, S.A., Lachenmeier, D.W., and Kroener,L.U. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2006, 1:14.

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