Absinthe??

Question

how do you pronounce absinthe? and is it the most lethal drink?

Answer 1

This answer has been chosen as best answer a few times so I'll post it again. Should answer your question and give a little more info as well.
Is Absinthe Dangerous?
Absinthe is highly alcoholic and should be enjoyed sensibly as with any other liquor. Historically it had a reputation for being dangerous, mainly due to cheap absinthes made with poor quality Alcohol . Modern production techniques mean that it is no longer dangerous. I'd be VERY wary of any kind of home made absinthe though.
If you want REAL absinthe, check out eabsinthe.com
I've ordered from them before and it's a quality site with fast shipping. Always get it within a few days, from the UK to Wisconsin! Never a problem.
I like the Reality (Czech)-just right-nice herbal flavor
I've tried the Versinthe La Blanche (French)-thought anise(licorice) was too strong-and the Abisinthe Amer (French)-alcohol a little overpowering. High wormwood content is what you're looking for. Alcohol level can be anywhere between 80-160 proof. If you want high alcohol content, just mix up some Bacardi 151 and coke. You mix absinthe with water, and a high alcohol content wont make for a smooth drink. Your pretty much drinking watered down shots. And even with water, it's hard to make 160 proof smooth.
As far as hallucinating and it being illegal......more of a novelty thing really. You're not going to see anything that isnt there. But a noticeable extra tingle with your buzz. They say it "makes the heart grow fonder". Fun with that special someone if you know what I mean. If you actually hallucinated from this, you wouldn't be able to get near this stuff. It is illegal to SELL absinthe but not so much to possess it. Absinthe recently became legal in the Canadian province of British Columbia. In the US, thujone is still banned, but as a food rather than a drug. You aren't allowed to distill or commercially make absinthe, but you can legally own a bottle and even make your own as long as it isn't distilled.
As far as spelling...
Why is absinthe sometimes spelt without an 'e'?

This is quite simply a language difference. Although 'absinthe' is the generic spelling as coined by the Swiss and French, who were the original absinthe producing nations, you will find that around the world there are many different spellings for the word absinthe. In the Czech Republic 'e' is dropped, and thus, absinth. The Spanish say absenta and the Italians say assenzio, but they all mean absinthe.

It is worth noting that the spelling absinth (without an 'e') usually denotes that the brand comes from Eastern Europe and is likely to be Czech style', which means that it is unlikely to louche (turn cloudy) when water is added, due to the little to no anise used compared to the traditional Swiss/French style.

Answer 2

Absinthe Pronunciation

Answer 3

Original vs. modern-day drinking rituals Originally, the absinthe drink was intended as an aperitif. The bars and cafes of fin de siecle Paris celebrated the "Green Hour", a late-afternoon period when Parisians downed their pre-dinner glass (or three) of the green liquor. With water: In the age of the original absinthe fever, the drink was always diluted with water and sweetened with sugar before consumption. First, a cube of sugar was placed on a perforated spoon resting on the top of a glass of neat absinthe. Then, chilled water was slowly poured over the sugar until it dissolved and the required level of dilution was achieved. Special absinthe fountains -- decorated containers that dispensed iced water -- had their firm place in most drinking establishments of that time. With fire: A few variations on the traditional drinking ritual have popped up since. One recent method involves pouring absinthe itself -- rather than water -- over the cube of sugar, then setting fire to the absinthe-soaked cube. Purists and absinthe snobs condemn this method and resolutely declare that one should never drink absinthe like that. But that hasn't stopped some drinkers taking the "fire ritual" further still: the sugar cube goes out of the metaphorical window, and the emerald liquor itself is set on fire (just like sambucca). Although involving absinthe with fire may have the desired visual effect in a hip cocktail lounge or on the movie screen, it does deny the drinker the full experience of the more noteworthy mind-opening, perception-enhancing absinthe effects. The traditional ritual of 1890's Paris had a purpose: as cool water drips into a glass of the chartreuse green liquor, it liberates the all-important essential herbal oils that make absinthe the special drink it is. Straight up: For the same reason, absinthe is seldom drunk straight-up like scotch or brandy. Newcomers to absinthe often drink absinthe neat, but this is rarely for the taste, but simply because they do not know there is another way. Even modern-day bartenders sometimes produce a whisky glass with a shot of the green liquid when asked for "absinthe". If this happens to you, at least request a wine glass and a bottle of chilled water -- then pour the shot of absinthe into the wine glass and slowly dilute with water. If you are one of those people who actually like to drink absinthe neat, by all means continue doing so, and do not let anyone tell you of the "right ways" or the "wrong ways". Freedom, after all, is the very essence of the Green Fairy, so be free to enjoy her company as you wish. If you are new to absinthe and want to try the drink straight-up (who knows, you might develop the taste for it?), note that meeting the Green Fairy can prove an intoxicating experience in more than the metaphorical sense: absinthe does contain a lot of alcohol, 50 to 70 per cent being the norm (in contrast, a decent scotch is "mere" 40%).

Answer 4

It's pronounced ab-sinth with emphasis on the first syllable.

It's no more lethal than 151...never was. All the stories and hype like it being hallucinogenic, convulsive, making you crazy...all of it is just BS.

Answer 5

Ab (like abdominal) and synthe (like synthetic).

I don't think it is the most lethal drink, unless it is made poorly and has contaminants like methanol.