What Is Absinthe? Ingredients, History, and How to Drink Absinth

Absinthe is a distilled spirit predominantly flavored with common wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a bitter shrub moderately poisonous in high doses. The toxic properties of wormwood oil gave absinthe its famous reputation for hallucinogenic effects. Nicknamed la fée verte (“the green fairy”) by nineteenth-century absinthe drinkers, this enigmatic drink derives its vibrant green color from the chlorophyll found in the various herbs used during the distilling process.

The principal ingredients in a bottle of absinthe are wormwood oil, fennel, hyssop, and anise. Absinthe has an alcohol content of 45–74 percent (90–148 proof), so it usually gets diluted before consumption, either with sweetened water or in a cocktail.

Though most associated with Europe’s Belle Époque period of the late nineteenth century, absinthe was first patented as a medicine in eighteenth-century Couvet, Switzerland—either by Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor, or two local sisters who sold the elixir to various Swiss pharmacies. In 1797, Major Dubied acquired the recipe. Dubied, along with his son-in-law, Henri-Louis Pernod, would become the biggest name in absinthe production: Pernod et Fils. (After a ban on absinthe took effect, Pernod created a similar anise-flavored liquor to fill the cultural void: pastis.)

Absinthe and its excesses inspired bohemian artists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Édouard Manet, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso, as well as writers like Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. In the early 1900s, France, Switzerland and the United States banned absinthe due to concerns over high levels of a chemical compound called thujone, widespread alcohol poisoning, and rumors of erratic and violent behavior brought on by drinking absinthe. (Many believed members of the temperance movement exaggerated those claims.) Absinthe is still banned in many countries today, though some distillers produce absinthe for export or sell it under different names.

Absinthe is not hallucinogenic, though the myth that the thujone it contains can cause erratic behavior persists. Though thujone is a GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) inhibitor that can affect the brain and have negative effects when consumed in large quantities, the amount of the chemical in correctly-distilled absinthe is negligible. The liquor’s reputation more likely stems from its high alcohol content. Whereas vodka typically contains 40 percent alcohol, absinthe can contain up to 75 percent.

Absinthe primarily tastes of aniseseed, with the same sharp, floral qualities of fennel and licorice. Its inherent bitterness comes from wormwood. Absinthe adds a spicy, botanical edge to a range of cocktails.

Traditional absinthe rituals—the slow, purposeful preparation of absinthe using a spoon or absinthe fountain—were first popularized in France. The addition of sugar tames the drink’s overpowering bitterness, and water dilutes its strength to a more palatable level.

To prepare a glass of absinthe, place a sugar cube onto a flat absinthe spoon (alternatively, you can use a slotted spoon or a fork) and set or hold the spoon over half an ounce to one ounce of absinthe in a short, stemmed cocktail glass. Slowly pour three to five ounces of cold water over the sugar cube, allowing the sugar to dissolve and permeate the absinthe drop by drop, resulting in the cloudy white reaction known as “the louche.” How much water you use is a matter of personal preference.

Using absinthe in a cocktail is an excellent—and perhaps more approachable—way to get familiar with its characteristics. Here are five iconic absinthe cocktails.

1. 1. The Chrysanthemum: The Chrysanthemum uses a quarter of an ounce of absinthe to add a note of complex botanicals to what is, in essence, a Brandy Martini, built from brandy and dry vermouth and garnished with an orange peel.
   
2. 2. The Corpse Reviver No. 2: A follow-up to the classic cocktail the Corpse Reviver No. 1, which relies on Cognac, apple brandy, and sweet vermouth for its flavor, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a gin cocktail that contains more aromatic and floral ingredients: namely, absinthe and orange liqueur.
3. 3. The Monkey Gland: The Monkey Gland cocktail consists of a simple blend of ingredients: dry gin, fresh orange juice, grenadine, and absinthe. This classic Jazz Age gin cocktail with a provocative name has an alluring, pinkish-orange color and slight anise flavor. Here’s how to make a Monkey Gland.
4. 4. The Morning Glory Fizz: The Morning Glory Fizz is a hair-of-the-dog Scotch whisky cocktail made with absinthe, scotch, sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, and egg white, served with finely shaved ice and a splash of soda. World-class mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana developed a contemporary take on the classic Morning Glory Fizz by using a vegan substitution for the egg white: aquafaba.
5. 5. The Sazerac: The Sazerac is a whiskey cocktail from New Orleans and one of the oldest cocktails with American origins, invented to promote a specific brand of imported French Cognac, Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils, mixed with Peychaud’s bitters and absinthe. (When the United States banned absinthe through much of the 20th century, the local New Orleans anise liqueur Herbsaint was a substitute.) Learn how to make a classic Sazerac at home.

Learn more about mixology from award-winning bartenders Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana. Refine your palate, explore the world of spirits, and shake up the perfect cocktail for your next gathering with the MasterClass Annual Membership.