The Fall And Rise Of Absinthe

By Dominic Donaldson

Absinthe has a reputation for being the drink of choice for bohemians. It has been said that it increases creativity and even produces hallucinations. Advocates of the drink have included Ernest Hemingway, Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde. Although the beverage originated in Switzerland it became associated with Parisian creatives during the 1800s. Since that time it has a tumultuous ride being sequentially vindicated then accepted by modern society.

By the early 1900s absinthe was banned in many European countries and the United States of America. The major concern was the effect one of the ingredients, thujone; it was considered to have psychoactive properties and therefore harmful. It was even written into the Swiss constitution that the drink should be banned after a notorious absinthe drinker murdered his family prompting a petition for prohibition that was signed by over 80,000 people.

It transpires that the effects of absinthe are no more harmful than that of any other spirit. The ingredient thujone is of the wrong chemical composition to cause the alleged psychoactive reactions and is in fact only present in incredibly small quantities. The rumours that surround the undesirable effects are likely to be attributed to impurities that were added to low quality absinthes. Since it has been proven that the drink is as safe as any other spirit, absinthe has been legalised in many countries where it was once banned.

As of 2008, it was estimated that nearly 200 varieties of absinthe were back on sale around the world, some of which are made according to the original distiller’’s recipes. Alongside the absinthe revival came the return of the rituals associated with the drink. Sales of specialist glasses, drippers and spoons have risen as people embrace the chance to drink the fabled beverage.

Bars that sell absinthe often stock many varieties, each of which varies slightly in strength and in the ingredients used. Blanche or la Bleue absinthe is a clear drink that is associated with bootleg versions of the drink that originated in Switzerland. Verte is a traditional French version of the drink and responsible for the stereotypical image. By adding herbs after distillation, the ordinarily colourless drink took on a vivid green colour along with a distinct flavour.

Connoisseurs that stumble across an amber coloured absinthe are understandably excited as it is likely to be a bottle from before the drink was banned in certain countries. The amber colour comes from the breakdown of chlorophyll in the herbs that have been added. As this colour is deemed to be undesirable to consumers, absinthes that are still coloured using natural ingredients are stored in UV resistant bottles to prevent discolouration.

About The Author

Dom Donaldson is a culture expert.
Find out more about Absinthe and the varieties available at Absinthe Online