Anyone (while abroad) ever drink abysinth? What were the results? Describe the taste...?

Question

Abysinth, distilled from the wormwood plant, is illegal for importation to the US. Ever had it while visiting overseas? Describe your experience here...

Answer 1

I've drunk absinthe several times. The last time was in November at at tasting of several different brands of absinthe in London, where it was never banned. My favorite was Pernod 68

Absinthe is an aniseed flavoured spirit that is clear until water is added to it, when it turns milky.

You need to add 6 to 9 times as much iced water to the absinthe. It is very strong alcoholically, but adding water dilutes the alcohol percentage as well as making the drink more palatable. Some drip the water through a sugar cube to sweeten the absinthe. Thats the traditional way to drink it, butI can't see anything wrong with adding Sprite or 7-Up or other mixer

Absinthe contains a number of herbs and spices, but the one that got it that reputation - most likely unfairly - is wormwood. Wormwood has an ingredient called thujone which has a structure similar to T.H.C. which is the active chemical in cannabis.

There is a tiny amount of wormwood - used for its bitter flavours - in Absinthe, and you'd have to drink an enormous amount of it to be affected. Bear in mind that absinthe has a very high alcohol content, around 70% alcohol (normal spirits are 40%), but that it is drunk with 6 -8 times as much water, thus diluting the alcohol and active ingredients.


However, it was made illegal in France and some other countries because of fear that people were made mad by absinthe. The stories about the effect of the wormwood content were over exagerated. But there was tremendous consumption of absinthe in France and people certainly drank too much.

What does it do? Same as any other spirit. It makes you drunk if you have too much of it. Does it make you high? Well, it didn't affect me. I think you'd have to drink so much of it that you'd be drunk from its high alcohol content first


Does it still have wormwood in it? Yes of course. Bear in mind it wasn't made illegal in all countries and even though France made absinthe illegal and thus Pernod made a wormwood free replacement drink known as Pastis, Pernod continued to make real absinthe for export.

I'm not a lawyer but the absinthe merchants say that it is only illegal to SELL absinthe in the US, but legal to buy and consume it, and so companies like eabsinthe.com ship personal orders to the US and guarantee refund if a consignment is lost or seized.

However, if you want to know what absinthe is like without buying it, go to any bar or pub and ask for a glass of Pernod or Ricard pastis. Pastis is the wormwood free replacement produced after absinthe was made illegal. These also have lower alcohol, so you add less water. The taste and look of pastis is the same as absinthe.

This online merchant that will ship absinthe to US customers from the UK - see http://www.eabsinthe.com

Answer 2

You can get tincture made of wormwood easily from many online healthfood stores. It has a generally regarded as safe label and is used by people to treat parasites in the intestines.

It is also the most vile tasting thing on the planet. Probably the reason that absinthe has a reputation for madness is you would have to be freaking nuts to drink this stuff. Seriously, the barest hint of the taste will make a strong man vomit.

Answer 3

you can order it from european sources and it sometimes will make it through US Customs. (note: you can in the US legally purchase a knock-off product called absente which has no wormwood but the same general flavor characteristics).

i'm not going to mention the brand or how it was marked on the packaging in my case, so as not to ruin the chances for anyone else who may want to try ... but if you look hard enough you can find one ... start with the wikipedia article on the subject ...)

i've only had the Bohemian (Czech) style, haven't tried the Swiss style, so my mind remains open, but regarding the former ... if you like the taste of fennel (blech) go for it

it's not hallucinogenic in the least. if the producers had a likely market in the US and would thus fund the necessary FDA trials, this fact would be borne out

consider the regulatory atmosphere during the era when absinth(e) was originally banned ... it was the same era when snake oil salesmen could sell any concoction claiming it cured any ill, without any consequence. so you had quality and thunderbird grades of absinth(e). the lower quality ones were manufactured by those who only wanted to make a buck regardless of how they did it, thus all kinds of poisonous adulterants (notably, methanol) could be found in this lower, unregulated tier of absinth(e). THESE absinth(e)s were responsible for ALL absinth(e) being painted as Supreme Evil #1 around the turn of the 20th century.

and the fire ritual shown in the johnny depp movie "from hell" is a 1990s contrivance, there is nothing historic about it (contrived mainly to mask the inferiority of the "bohemian" style of absinth and to enhance the marketing draw of this pseudo-taboo product).

i think absinth (the bohemian version dispenses with the final "e") tastes as good as (and similar to) jagermeister and robitussin (interpret it that however you like lol)

Answer 4

Available here in America, via import (still got a bottle around here somewhere). Wormwood content FAR lower than in "the good old days". Weird taste (but love the "green fog"), weird buzz, but better than your average drunk. PS: wormwood content can be boosted with (legal) herbal extracts...

Answer 5

when mixed properly (with sugar and ice cold water) the swirling of the alcohol and water is said to release the green fairy (see Moulin Rouge) it is very bitter tasting, which is why you add the sugar. Ideally you should have a absinthe spoon, which is flat to set across the glass and has holes through it to allow the water though it (Czech style) it smell s like liquorice.

if you want is French style, set it afalme and drink it in one shot (trust me, you will get VERY drunk if you do this off one shot)

Answer 6

I actually got a recipe and made some while in Germany. It took a while, but was really potent when done. Yeah, it's a vile, nasty drink but you have to pour it over something sweet, like a sugar cube in a slotted spoon to make it taste drinkable. And it's a good, good drunk time, too!

Answer 7

My best friend had it and said it was just like getting really drunk, but after drinking a smaller quantity. Its not as extreme as everyone makes it out to be...just be careful!

Answer 8

the one i have had is 80%, just took a sip, but wow, horrible taste. you have to burn sugar and dip it in and then take the shot.

if you want to try, just make sure you have someone to take you home... don't have to much, you can go blind and not remember anything

Answer 9

It is just a strong alcohol content, it is like getting drunk, it has been known to cause brain damage in people who abuse it though, but so has whiskey.

Answer 10

it tastes a little like black licorice..and if you drink ALOT of it then you will DEFINTITLY think youre hallucinateing but if you dont drink alot its like your drunk and high at the same time..either way its fun ;)