Absinthe

File:Pernodad.jpg

A vintage Pernod Fils absinthe advertisement

Absinthe (from French, from Latin absinthium, ancient Greek apsinthion, "wormwood") is a highly-alcoholic distilled anise-flavored spirit, and is derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood. Sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe does not contain added sugar and is a liquor or spirit.

Nicknamed la Fée Verte ("The Green Fairy"), absinthe has a similar taste to anise-flavored liqueurs, with a light bitterness and more complex flavor imparted by the use of other herbs, and is traditionally clear, pale green or emerald green in color. When drank water is added causing the drink to louche (turn cloudy). It began as an elixir in Switzerland but is especially known for its popularity in France—particularly its romantic associations with Parisian artists and writers—in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, until its prohibition in 1915. The most popular brand of absinthe worldwide at the time was Pernod Fils. At the height of its popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug, the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. It was eventually banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Modern evidence shows it to be as safe as ordinary alcohol. A modern-day absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale.

Etymology

The French word absinthe can refer either to the liquor, or to the actual wormwood plant (grande absinthe being Artemisia absinthium, and petite absinthe being Artemisia pontica). The word derives from the Latin absinthium, which is in turn a stylization of the Greek αψινθιον (apsinthion). Some claim that the word means "undrinkable" in Greek, but it may instead be linked to the Persian root spand or aspand, or the variant esfand, which may have been, rather, Peganum harmala, a variety of rue, another famously bitter herb. That this particular plant was commonly burned as a protective offering may 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 common ancestor is unclear.

Absinth is a spelling variation of absinthe often seen in central Europe, because so many Bohemian-style products use it many groups see it as synonymous with bohemian absinth.

Production

Anise

Grande Wormwood

The main herbs used are grande wormwood, florence fennel and anise, often called the holy trinity. Many other herbs may be used as well, such as, hyssop, melissa, and petite wormwood (Artemisia pontica or Roman wormwood). Various recipes also include angelica root, sweet flag, dittany leaves, coriander, veronica, juniper, nutmeg, and various mountain herbs.

A simple maceration in alcohol of wormwood without distillation produces an extremely bitter drink, due to the presence of the water-soluble absinthine, one of the most bitter substances known. Authentic recipes call for distillation after the primary maceration and before the secondary or "coloring" maceration. The distillation of wormwood, anise, and Florence fennel first produces a colorless distillate which 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 artificially or with chlorophyll by steeping petite wormwood, hyssop, and melissa in the liquid. After this process, the resulting product is reduced with water to the desired percentage of alcohol. Over time and exposure to light the chlorophyll will break down, causing the drink to go from emerald green to yellow green to brown. Pre-ban and vintage absithes are often of a distinct amber colour as a result of this process.

Non-traditional varieties are made by cold-mixing herbs, essences or oils in alcohol, with the distillation process omitted. Often called 'oil mixes', these types of absinthe are not necessarily bad, though they are generally considered 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 is extremely high, between 45% and 89.9%, though there is no historical evidence that any commercial vintage absinthe was higher than 74%. Given the high strength and low alcohol solubility of many of the herbal components, absinthe is usually not imbibed "straight," but consumed after a fairly elaborate preparation ritual.

Historically, there were five grades of absinthe: ordinaire, demi-fine, fine, supérieure and Suisse (which does not denote origin), in order of increasing alcoholic strength. Most absinthes contain somewhere between 60% to 75% alcohol. It is said to improve materially with storage. In the late 19th century, cheap brands of absinthe were occasionally adulterated by profiteers with copper, zinc, indigo plant, or other dyes to impart the green color, and with antimony trichloride to produce the louche effect; this addition of toxic chemicals is quite likely to have contributed to absinthe's reputation as a hallucination-inducing or otherwise harmful beverage.

Homemade kits

There are numerous “recipes” for homemade absinthe floating around on the internet, many of which revolve around soaking or mixing a kit or store-bought herbs and wormwood extract with high-proof liquor such as vodka or Everclear. Even though these do-it-yourself absinthe kits have gained a lot of popularity, it is simply not possible to produce absinthe in this manner. Absinthe distillation, just like the production of any fine liquor, is a science in itself and requires great expertise and care to properly manage.

Besides being highly unpleasant to drink and a pale impression of authentic distilled absinthe, these homemade concoctions can sometimes be downright poisonous. Many of these recipes call for the usage of liberal amounts of wormwood extract, or essence of wormwood in hopes to increase the believed psychoactive effects. Consuming essential oils will not produce a high, but can be very dangerous. Wormwood extract can cause renal failure and death due to excessive amounts of thujone, which in large quantities acts as a convulsive neurotoxin. Wormwood extract should never be consumed straight.

Preparation

A reservoir glass filled with a naturally colored verte next to an absinthe spoon.

Traditionally absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed, slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of the spoon. Ice cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink is diluted 3:1 to 5:1. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water come out of solution and cloud the drink; that milky opalescence is called the louche (Fr. "opaque" or "shady" pronounced "loosh").

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

Although many bars served absinthe in standard glasses there are a number of glasses specifically made for absinthe. Having a dose line, bulge or bubble in the lower portion of the glass marking how much absinthe should be poured into it (often around 1 oz).

History

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

File:Degasabsinthe.jpg

L'Absinthe, by Edgar Degas.

Absinthe's popularity grew steadily until the 1840s when absinthe was given to French troops as a fever preventative. When the troops returned home they brought their taste for absinthe with them and it became popular at bars and bistros.

By the 1860s, absinthe had become so popular that in most cafés and cabarets 5 p.m. signaled l'heure verte ("the green hour"). Still, it remained expensive and was favored mainly by the bourgeoisie and eccentric bohemian artists. By the 1880s, however, the price had dropped significantly, the market expanded, and absinthe soon became the 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 with several violent crimes supposedly committed under the direct influence of the drink. This, combined with rising hard liquor consumption due to the wine shortage in France during the 1880s and 1890s, effectively labelled absinthe as a social menace. Its critics said that "it makes people crazy and criminal, it turns men into brutes and threatens the future of our times." Edgar Degas's 1876 painting, L'absinthe (The Absinthe Drinkers) (now at the Musée d'Orsay) epitomized the popular view of absinthe "addicts" as sodden and benumbed; Émile Zola described their serious intoxication in his novel L'Assommoir.

The Lanfray murders spelled the last straw for absinthe. In 1905 it was reported that Jean Lanfray murdered his family and attempted to kill himself after drinking absinthe. The fact that he was an alcoholic who had drunk considerably after the two glasses of absinthe in the morning was forgotten and the murders were blamed solely on absinthe. A petition to ban absinthe in Switzerland was quickly signed by over 82,000 people.

In Switzerland, the prohibition of absinthe was even written into the constitution in 1907, following a popular initiative. The Netherlands came next, banning absinthe in 1909, followed by the United States in 1912 and finally France in 1915. The prohibition of absinthe in France led to the growing popularity of pastis and ouzo, anise-flavored liqueurs that do not use wormwood. In Switzerland it drove absinthe underground. Evidence suggests small home clandestine distillers have been producing absinthe since the ban, focusing on La Bleues as it was easier to hide a clear product.

Modern revival

An assortment of modern absinthe.

File:Tryandfly.jpg

Modern art Absintheposter from 2005

In the 1990s an importer, BBH Spirits, realized that there was no UK law prohibiting absinthe sale (it was never banned there)—other than the standard regulations governing alcoholic beverage. Hill's Liquere, a Czech Republic distillery founded in 1920, began manufacturing Hill's Absinth, a Bohemian-style absinth, sparking the modern resurgence in absinthe's popularity.

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

France never repealed the 1915 law, but in 1988, a law was passed to clarify that only beverages that do not comply with European Union regulations with respect to thujone content, or beverages that call themselves "absinthe" explicitly, fall under that law. This has resulted in the re-emergence of French absinthes, now labelled spiritueux à base de plantes d'absinthe ("wormwood-based spirits"). Interestingly, as the 1915 law regulates only the sale of absinthe in France but not its production, many manufacturers also produce variants destined for exports which are plainly labeled "absinthe." La Fée Absinthe, launched in 2000, was the first brand of absinthe distilled and bottled in France 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 the Netherlands this law was successfully challenged by Amsterdam wineseller Menno Boorsma in July 2004, making absinthe once more legal. Subsequently, the government in May 2005 repealed this law. Belgium, as part of an effort to simplify its laws, removed its absinthe law on the first of January 2005, citing (as the Dutch judge) European food regulations as sufficient to render the law unnecessary (and indeed, in conflict with the spirit of the Single European Market).

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

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

Cruise mystery

In January 2006, a widely published Associated Press wire service article echoed the press's sensationalistic absinthe scare of a century earlier. It was reported that on the night he disappeared, George Allen Smith IV (the Greenwich, Connecticut, man who in July 2005 vanished from aboard the Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas while on his honeymoon cruise) and other passengers drank a bottle of absinthe. The story noted the modern revival and included numerous quotes from various sources, suggesting that absinthe remains a serious and dangerous hallucinogenic drug:

"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 gives people different, unusual ideas which they wouldn't have had on their own accord because of its stimulative effect on the mind."

"Absinthe is banned in the United States because of harmful neurological effects caused by a toxic chemical called thujone, said Michael Herndon, spokesman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The story also noted: "Defenders of the drink say it is safe and its harmful effects a myth."

Jad Adams and Ted Breaux 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 we know, from certain scientific studies, which have been published in the past year or so, is that, first of all, thujone is not present in any absinthe in sufficient concentration to cause any type of deleterious effects in humans."

Controversy

Edouard Manet, "The Absinthe Drinker." An unapologetic look at a street bum.

It was thought that excessive absinthe-drinking led to effects which were specifically worse than those associated with over-indulgence in other forms of alcohol — which is bound to have been true for some of the less-scrupulously adulterated products, creating a condition called absinthism. Undistilled wormwood essential oil contains a substance called thujone, which is an epileptic (and can cause renal failure) in extremely high doses, and the supposed ill effects of the drink were blamed on that substance in 19th century studies.

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

More recent studies have shown that very little of the thujone present in wormwood actually makes it into a properly distilled absinthe, even one re-created using historical recipes and methods. Most proper absinthe, both vintage and modern, are naturally within the EU limits. A recent French distiller 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 the plant stems are used, where thujone content is the highest.

A study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol concluded that a high concentration of thujone in alcohol has negative effects on attention performance. It slowed down reaction time and subjects concentrated their attention in the central field of vision. Medium doses did not produce a noticeably different effect than plain alcohol. The high dose of thujone in this study was larger than what one can get from current "high thujone" absinthe before becoming too drunk to notice. As most people describe the effects of absinthe as a more lucid and aware drunk, this suggests that thujone alone is not the cause of these effects.

Czech, or bohemian absinth

Often called Bohemian-style, Czech-style, anise-free absinthe or just absinth (without the 'e'), bohemian absinth is produced mainly in the Czech republic where it gets its Bohemian moniker. It doesn't contain anise, fennel or many of the other herbs normally found in the more traditional absinthes produced in countries such as France and Switzerland, and can be extremely bitter. Often the only similarity with its French and Swiss counterparts is the use of wormwood and a high alcohol content, and for all intents and purposes it should be considered a completely different product. In most cases, Czech- or Bohemian-style absinths are not distilled spirits, but rather high-proof alcohol or vodka which has been cold-mixed with herbal extracts and artificial colouring.

Since there are currently few legal definitions for absinthe, producers have taken advantage of its romantic associations and psychoactive reputation to market their products under a similar name. Many Czech-style producers heavily market thujone content, exploiting the many myths and half-truths that surround thujone even though none of these types of absinth contain enough thujone to cause any noticeable effect. It is claimed absinth has been produced in the Czech Republic since the 1920s. The Hills company even claims they use the same eighty year old recipe. There is no evidence to support either claim. As far as anyone can tell, Czech absinth is a modern product originating in the 1990s.

The Czech or Bohemian-style absinth lacks many of the oils in absinthe that create the louche and a modern ritual involving fire was created to take this into account. Typically, absinth is added to a glass and a sugar cube on a spoon is placed over it. The sugar cube is soaked in absinth then lit on fire. The cube is then dropped into the absinth setting it on fire and water is added till the fire goes out, normally a 1:1 ratio. The crumbling sugar can provide a minor simulation of the louche seen in traditional absinthe and the lower water ratio enhances effects of the high strength alcohol. Care should be taken when lighting any high proof spirit on fire.

It is sometimes claimed that the Czech/Bohemian ritual which involves fire is old and traditional, this is false. This method of preparing absinth was in fact invented in the 1990s as a marketing stunt but has since been accepted by many as historical fact, largely because this method is featured in several contemporary movies. Amongst many of the more traditional absinthe enthusiasts this method of preparing absinthe is looked down upon and seen as little more than cheap theatrics designed to impress tourists.

Cultural impact

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

Arts & literature

Numerous artists and writers living in France during the late 19th and early 20th century were noted absinthe drinkers and featured absinthe in their work. These include Vincent Van Gogh, Manet, Guy de Maupassant and Toulouse Lautrec. Van Gogh spent a good deal of time painting in cafés but feared the bohemian life still was damaging. During a fit in 1888 Van Gogh cut off his ear lobe and gave it to a brothel wench. Often said to be absinthe induced there is no evidence to suggest this. According to Gauguin, Van Gogh had been acting unstable almost a week before the incident and had flung the only absinthe Gauguin had seen him order, before drinking it. Art historians still debate of the exact cause or causes of Van Gogh's behavior. Degas' painting "L'Absinthe" (1876) portrayed grim absinthe drinkers in a cafe. Years later it set off a flurry in the london art world. The grim realism of "L'Absinthe," a theme popular with bohemian artists, was seen as a disease by London art critics and a lesson against alcohol and the french in general. Picasso depicted absinthe in different media, including the paintings "Woman Drinking Absinthe" (1901) and "Bottle of Pernod and Glass" (1912), and the sculpture "Absinthe Glass" (1914). Oscar Wilde has been quoted as saying, "What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?"

Movies & TV

In Bram Stoker's Dracula starring Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, Prince Vlad (Oldman) drinks absinthe with Mina/Elizabeta (Ryder) in a London restaurant. Paul Verlaine is shown drinking absinthe in Total Eclipse (film) (1995). In Deceiver (1997), Tim Roth's character is shown drinking absinthe; the drink's legendary effects are highlighted in the plot. In From Hell (2001), Inspector Abberline (Johnny Depp) mixes opium with absinthe to make an addictive drink. Moulin Rouge! (2001) portrayed absinthe as the drink of the Bohemian revolution. Absinthe was also used indirectly as the subject of an American independent neo-noir film, Bitters and Blue Ruin. In Murder by Numbers (2002), absinthe is prepared by Michael Pitt's character, who also gives a speech on its effects and ingredients. In EuroTrip (2004), several teenagers purchase a bottle of absinthe at a nightclub in Bratislava. In Van Helsing (2004), Van Helsing finds the Frankenstein monster under a windmill full of absinthe bottles. In the remake of Alfie (2004), Liz (Susan Sarandon) plies the main character (Jude Law) with absinthe prepared in contemporary style with a sugar cube set on fire.

Absinthe made an appearance in the HBO television series Carnivàle, imbibed by a mysterious blind seer, as well as in the CBS crime drama C.S.I. where it is incorrectly stated the distillation process makes absinthe toxic. Absinthe was also featured in the episode "The Big Lockout" of the British comedy series Black Books, where character Bernard Black says, "What do they say, absinthe, the drink that makes you want to kill yourself." In the second series of Sky One's Hex, Ella (Laura Pyper) offers absinthe to the popular students as means to break the ice when she enrolls in their school. She warns the character of Leon (Jamie Davis) that it "...rots your brain."

Music

Progressive power metal band Symphony X released "Absinthe And Rue" on their self-titled debut album (1994). The John Zorn-founded ensemble Naked City released an ethereal album entitled Absinthe in 1996. A collaboration between Blood Axis and Les Joyaux De La Princesse produced the 2001 concept album Absinthe: La Folie Verte, followed up with the live album Absinthia Taetra. The absinthe ritual appears in the Nine Inch Nails video "The Perfect Drug". Mustis, the keyboardist from the band Dimmu Borgir, is often pictured with a bottle of absinthe, most notably in their 2003 album, Death Cult Armageddon. The black metal band Cradle of Filth released a song on 2004's Nymphetamine, called "Absinthe with Faust"; its opening line is, "Pour the emerald wine into crystal glasses." Marilyn Manson boasts of having written an entire album on absinthe. The famous "One More Saturday Night" logo from the Grateful Dead featured a skeleton swigging absinthe. In the opening number of Wicked, "No One Mourns The Wicked", a green elixir turns Elphaba green. Jason Webley released a song on 1999's Against The Night album entitled "Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder".

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 traditional definition.

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. Member countries regulate absinthe production within this framework. Sale of absinthe is permitted in all EU countries unless they further regulate it.

The end of the Green Fairy: a poster illustrating the absinthe ban in Switzerland.

France

Products explicitly called "absinthe" cannot be sold in France, although they can be produced for export. Absinthe is now commonly labeled as spiritueux à base de plantes d'absinthe ("wormwood-based spirits"). France also regulates Fenchone, a chemical in the herb fennel, to 5 mg/l. This makes many brands of Swiss absinthe illegal without reformatting.

Switzerland

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

Canada

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

United States

According to US Customs, "The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited." This runs contrary to FDA regulations which allows Artemisia species in food and drink as long as the finished product is thujone free.

Foods or beverages that contain Artemisia species, white cedar, oak moss, tansy or Yarrow must be thujone free. Other herbs that contain thujone have no restrictions. For example, sage and sage oil (which can be 50%+ thujone) are on the FDA's list of Substances generally recognized as safe.

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law among American absinthe connoisseurs is that:

• It is probably illegal to sell items meant for human consumption which contain thujone derived from Artemisia species. This derives from an FDA regulation (as opposed to a DEA regulation).
• It is probably illegal for someone outside the country to sell such a product to a citizen living in the US, given that customs regulations specifically forbid the importation of "absinthe."
• It is probably legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the US.
• Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs, if it appears to be for human consumption.

A faux-absinthe liqueur called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of regular wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States and doesn't contain thujone.

References

General

• Höld, K.M., et al. "a-Thujone (the active component of absinthe): y-Aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 97(April 11 2000):3826-3831.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Oxygenee's Virtual Absinthe Museum- A comprehensive online museum of absinthe history, lore, art and antiques.
• La Fée Verte - The oldest and largest absinthe online-forum. Absinthe Buyers Guide, with hundreds of user reviews. Reference library of absinthe-related articles.
• The Wormwood Society - An independent organization founded to help promote accurate, current information about absinthe; to aid in reforming laws and regulations impacting absinthe in the US. It does not sell absinthe.
• Absinthe.se - A comprehensive collection of Absinthe reviews and information.
• Absinthe: The Green Goddess by Aleister Crowley

Articles of interest

• Arnold, W.N. "Absinthe". Scientific American 260(June 1989):112-117.
• Absinthe's second coming - An April 2001 article in Cigar Aficionado about the first absinthe commercially produced in France since the 1915 ban.
• Swiss face sobering future after legalizing absinthe - A March 2005 Reuters article about the legalization of absinthe in switzerland.
• The Mystery of the Green Menace - A November 2005 WIRED Magazine article about a New Orleans man who has researched the chemical content of Absinthe and now distills it in France.
• The Return of the Green Faerie - A wine and spirit journal article about the history, ritual, and artistic cult of Absinthe.