Why is Absinthe Surrounded by Controversy?

One of the more mysterious spirits in the canon of alcohol history is absinthe. In the United States, you can’t get it in bars and it is impossible to get authentic, thujone-saturated absinthe without shipping it from another country.

Absinthe is a strong liquor made with wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium. During the distillation process, thujone is released into the spirit. Aside from being a strong spirit, Absinthe is said to induce a dream-like or hallucinogenic state. It was favored by creative types including Picasso and Oscar Wilde.

Getting absinthe with authentic levels of thujone is nearly impossible in the United States. Most available absinthe includes about a third of what was enjoyed by artists of the past, but even more still is totally devoid of it.

This website lets users order authentic absinthe from overseas, but it quickly gets expensive. A bottle goes for more than $200.

If you want the absinthe culture without the potential hallucinations, it doesn’t hurt to drink versions with no thujone. Part of the allure of absinthe drinking comes with the rituals.

To properly drink absinthe, all you need is an absinthe glass and an absinthe spoon. In absence of an absinthe spoon, a slotted spoon could work. Place the slotted spoon over the glass holding absinthe and place a sugar cube on the spoon, over the slots. Pour ice-cold water over the cube and watch as the absinthe takes on a cloudy look.