Know your Absinthe

From Vincent van Gogh to Oscar Wilde and Pablo Picasso, the known imbibers of the Green Fairy are nearly notorious as the drink itself. But the seductive sip is far from a Bohemian relic. In fact absinthe's legendary lure continues to pique the interest of many. Does it drive one to madness? Does it serve as a gateway to boundless creativity?

Absinthe in an anise flavored spirit, derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of wormwood.

Absinthe is not a liqueur because it is not bottled with added sugar.

Absinthe is bottled at an unusually high proof but is normally diluted with water when it is consumed.

By 1915, absinthe had been banned in the United States and in most European countries except the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain and Portugal.

Although absinthe was vilified, no evidence has shown it to be any more dangerous than ordinary liquor.

Verte (green) absinthe begins as a blanche (white). The blanche is altered by the "coloring step," in which a new mixture of herbs is put into the clear distillate.