the absinthe drinker …

A friend of a friend went to London and brought back a bottle of absinthe, the liquor that includes wormwood and is purported to make users crazy. It’s been banned in many countries because of this. After believing what she read on a few sensationalist sites on the Internet, this friend handed the bottle over to me, knowing I’ve been curious about it and perhaps looking for a guinea pig.

So I did a little reading of my own. The insanity stories are overblown. As one site points out: “When someone consumes 20 or more glasses a day of a 120-150 proof alcoholic beverage (which were possibly contaminated with toxic metals as well), it can tend to have a deleterious effect on them.” That’s what those wacky French Impressionists were up to when absinthe was their liquor of choice.

So I read further. The absinthe that was retrieved from London is distilled by Sebor in the Czech Republic. They have a great site, complete with a place where you can buy asbsinthe and info on various ways of drinking it. There’s also a very cool photo of an obviously absinthed Johnny Depp partaking of the “green fairy.” Just click the thumbnail for a closer look.

After weighing my options, opening the bottle and being impressed with the smell (anise flavored, vaguely reminiscent of Ouzo), I decided over ice was the best bet. Apparently, some of the rot-gut varieties were very bitter, so those wacky impressionists tended to mix sugar in. No need for that with Sebor.

So I had three drinks on the rocks. It’s strong stuff, about 110 proof. Overall, I really liked it. The feeling is akin to the feeling you get when you drink a really good tequila. Things seem a little sharper, a little more in focus. But there was no insanity (aside from what pre-existed). No hallucinations. No burning desire to become an impressionist and hang out in Paris. I’ll definitely finish the bottle. Not sure if I’ll ante up the kind of prices they’re asking for to have it mailed to the States, though.