moi621 (imported) wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:21 pm
Recently discovered real Absinthe, not "near absinthe" is available in

for at least three years after a 95 year, absence or absinthe

.
http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.ph ... e&Itemid=1
Not decriminalized you understand. ?
"We don't say "legalized" because nothing has changed—it appears absinthe may have been technically legal since 1972, possibly much earlier. "

<good argument>
My 1910 pharmacology book gave me a quick lesson on, Thujone. The special ingredient via wormwood. Initially a stimulant followed by a sedative effect, they say.
Ah, finally the drink of Toulouse Lautrec and the avant garde of that era.
Plan to try my bottle of, Vieux Pontarlier 65, soon.
Any Absinthe imbibers out there with counseling before I venture into a new drug experience.
Moi
The last on my list is to smoke opium someday like Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood.
Ahh, someone after my own heart. I adore absinthe. I have explored most of the ones available here in Seattle. I was disappointed by Pernod the original French brand. I find Lucid another French brand much better. Even better is the Swiss brand Kubler, a white, rather than the usual green absinthe. But by far the best I have found is distilled about 20 miles from here in Seattle in a little town Woodinville. It is called Pacifique, and has one of the highest rating on one of the Absinthe Rating sites(
http://www.feeverte.net/guide/) .I like the ratings on this site better than the ones on the Wormwood Society)
I drink it in bars, just ordering it on the rocks diluted about 1-1 with plain water. The harsher Czech absinthes take a higher ratio. As the ice melts it becomes perfect. The traditional dripping the water slowly and carefully observing the louche (the turning cloudy as the water us added) is kind of fun for two or three times. After that, if you do is at the bar, taking up the bartender's time you label yourself as an obnoxious poser. And unless you are young and beautiful, (which means you can get away with anything), never do the fire ritual, a totally bogus ritual that has nothing to do with the absinthe cultures of the Belle Epoque, and was invented to disguise the taste of bad Czech absinthes. It also screams to everyone else in the bar that you are an exhibitionist jerk.
Regrding Thujone:
http://www.feeverte.net/thujone.html
In conclusion, there is no evidence that absinthe ever contained the high concentrations of thujone that would have led to detrimental effects or that it has hallucinogenic or mind altering properties. The health problems experienced by chronic users were likely to have been caused by adulterants in inferior brands and by the high levels of alcohol present. Claims for beneficial effects must also be treated with some scepticism as again, the detrimental effects of the alcohol would presumably outweigh any benefits. It seems likely that the phenomenal success of absinthe during the 19th century was due to one factor, the French love of aniseed drinks. The modern equivalent of absinthe, pastis, is by far the most popular distilled spirit in France with 125 million litres being consumed annually. Perhaps the reason that so much absinthe was consumed, and absintheurs waxed so lyrically about it was simply because it tasted good.
Enjoy
Transward