It would be difficult to imagine a more conspicuous liquor than absinthe. Although almost everyone has heard of absinthe, far fewer know a lot about it, and even fewer have tried it. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to reveal what absinthe really is, along with some of its history and current state.
It is generally accepted that absinthe was first created as a medicinal tonic in the late 1700s in the village of Couvet, Switzerland, but there is a difference of opinion as to who exactly the creator actually was. The anise-flavored tonic was claimed to have been invented by a French physician named Pierre Ordinaire, but locals in Couvet said that long before Dr. Ordinaire’s appearance, the Henriod sisters distributed absinthe for medicinal purposes.
Regardless of who was the creator of the recipe, it is a fact that the Dubied-Pernod family purchased the recipe from Dr. Ordinaire and established the first commercial absinthe distillery in Couvet.
With the passage of time and the popularity of absinthe increased, the drink became acclaimed not only for its health benefits, but also for its effect on the mind, evoking the legend of the Green Fairy with its visions, dreams and artistic inspiration. . .
Several factors led to further boost absinthe’s fame. The French soldiers were given the drink as a tonic that, in fact, improved both their health and morale. Then, in the third quarter of the 19th century, the vineyards of France were almost destroyed by a plant disease. As the price of wine skyrocketed, the recipe for absinthe was changed to make it an even cheaper alternative.
During the years leading up to World War I, some of the most famous artists and writers of the time not only drank absinthe, they immortalized it. For example, it is known that Mary Shelley wrote most of “Frankenstein” while under the inspiring influence of absinthe.
And it wasn’t just Europe that the Green Fairy was celebrated, it was imported into the US where, especially in New Orleans, the ritual of drinking absinthe became one of the rituals of high society. But, in the words of the old proverb, everything that goes up must eventually come down. Several powerful forces were working against absinthe, and it was declared illegal in the United States and several other European countries in 1912, and in France in 1915. However, it has remained legal in Spain, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the Czech Republic. and Portugal. Today in the United States, drinking and possessing absinthe is allowed, but making and selling it is illegal. Therefore, Americans who want to enjoy the Green Fairy can legally buy absinthe, for example, from legitimate sources online.