Intelligent Bartender

There is no other spirit shrouded in as much controversy as Absinthe. Affectionately called “The Green Fairy,” Absinthe is credited (or discredited) as the reason Vincent Van Gogh cut of his ear, and later shot himself in the stomach. It was the favourite libation of artists and bohemians, however it was banned in the Netherlands, France and the United States by the beginning of the first world war and many more countries followed suit before US Prohibition in 1919. Although little research was available, most countries banned the substance for its inexplicable intoxicating, sometimes hallucinogenic properties, until, after much scientific research the last major legal ban was lifted by Brazil in 2007.
So what, exactly, is it about Absinthe that drives people mad; does it really make you hallucinate, and if the rumours are true, why is it on the shelves of our liquor stores today? The answer is a substance called Thujone, which reportedly had hallucinogenic properties. Early researchers suggested an association between Thujone and THC, the active ingredient in Marijuana, however this theory was later discredited through scientific research. The alleged hallucinogens were said to come from sometimes poisionous chemicals being added to cheaper versions of the drink in the 19th century to give it a more vivid colour. Each province has it’s own set of laws determining the amount of Thujone that can be present in a beverage, ranging from:

(NFLD, NB, PEI) 0% Absente is for sale – No Thujone Content
(ON) 0.001%
(AL, MA, QC, NS) 0.005% - 0.010%
(BC) No Thujone Regulation

British Columbia’s Okanagan Spirits recently released the appropriately named “Taboo” Absinthe, currently Canada’s only commercially produced Absinthe, but several other microdistillers are making attempts in anticipation of a growing market for “the Green Fairy,” in the not too distant future.
Absinthe is often mistaken as a liqueur, but it is produced without the addition of sugar, and it is bottled over proof, which distinguishes it as a spirit. It is one of the only spirits that is not blended with water pre- bottling to bring the ABV down; the water is added by the consumer via a slow drip over a sugar cube when preparing the absinthe for consumption, so from an environmental perspective Absinthe has been green in more ways than one since it’s creation.
Absinthe consumption is widespread in Europe and Asia, our challenge as Canadians is that our palate isn’t as receptive to the Eurocentric flavour of Anise (black licorice.) If you’ve never dissected the name licorice, and always thought of it simply as a name, break it down into its root word and things will start to make sense.
The most common experience is that of “Clear Headed Inebriation,” resulting from the fact that some of the herbal compounds in Absinthe are stimulants, while others are depressants resulting in “Lucid Drunkenness” if consumed in high enough doses. Drinking large amounts of Absinthe, is not recommended in the same way as you should avoid drinking copious quantities of any spirit. Such a dominant flavour will often overpower other ingredients if you use too much Absinthe in a cocktail, I suggest using it as a flavouring agent rather than a base ingredient. If you’re new to the world of Absinthe, try this cocktail on for size, it will ease you into the flavour. From here your “Lucid” creativity can run wild.

½ oz Hills Absinthe
1 oz Cointreau
2 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
2 dashes of Fee Brothers Rhubarb bitters
Shake ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.