Ever tried drinking Absinthe?

Question

Anybody tried Absinthe?

It's illegal in Canada. Where can I buy some?

Answer 1

Yes, 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.

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've seen bottles called absinthe in the LCBO in Ontario, but it is not the real thing, and if you want the real absinthe you can order it online from companies like eabsinthe.com who ship personal orders 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 Canadian customers from the UK - see http://www.eabsinthe.com

Answer 2

I in no way tasted Absinthe. It comprises no drugs, and has not too long ago been released from the global drug lists and can soon be in European bars again after about 70 years. Pernod include the identical spices and has certainly not been banned. Greek Ouzo, Turkey's Raki and plenty of others after the same recipe. If you come to hallucinations you may have been consuming an excessive amount of over a period of as a minimum ten years. The Mediterranean is the place you find liquours of this form. Go and style them of their traditional areas. Cheers!

Answer 3

I by no ability tasted Absinthe. It incorporates no drugs, and has those days been released from the international drug lists and could quickly be in ecu bars back after about 70 years. Pernod contain an same spices and hasn't ever been banned. Greek Ouzo, Turkey's Raki and so on after an same recipe. in case you go back to hallucinations you've been ingesting too a lot over a era of a minimum of ten years. The Mediterranean is the position you locate liquours of this way. bypass and flavor them of their organic places. Cheers!

Answer 4

It's not illegal in Canada but Canada's liquor boards have approved mostly psuedo-absinthe and low quality brands. You might be able to find La-Fee and in the future something better but that's about it (brands like Hills aren't absinthe).

You can't make it at home.

Answer 5

When I was in Canada over the summer I had some with friends, one of whom brought a bottle back from Prague earlier in the year. We drank it while watching Italy pound France, and Zidane's infamous headbutt. As for buying it in Canada, anything you DO find isn't real absinthe.

Answer 6

It's recently become available in BC. The real stuff.
ABSINTH - HILL'SSKU #587204 / UPC #08594018430017
Product Information
Price: $81.72
Volume: 700 mL
Alcohol: 70 %
Country: Czech Republic

ABSINTHE STRONG - GREEN TREE DISTILLERYSKU #611152 / UPC #08594001441723
Product Information
Price: $53.60
Volume: 500 mL
Alcohol: 70 %
Country: Czech Republic

Answer 7

Bought a bottle from The Czech Republic on the internet for $100. Big Hoopla. Not worth it.

Answer 8

Read my absinthe answer before you do. That stuff makes you nuts.

Answer 9

I used to have it when I'd take weekend trips to New Orleans. I didn't think it tasted the best, but after a while you didn't really care about the taste and wanted more. It was fun!

Answer 10

I've had it. It's not as great as all the hype. Then again, I don't think we get the strongest percentage they can make, here in Australia.