One who has ever heard of absinthe might have been impressed by the legend about the effects it produces. It is believed that absinthe differs from any other alcoholic drink due to the so-called ‘secondary effects’, which include hallucinations, irregular eyesight sensitivity to light and colors, euphoria and a feeling of lucid inebriation.

Many find the issue of absinthe ‘secondary effects’ the most controversial one, since there is little evidence, which moreover lacks credence. The effect produced by a good absinthe can vary from person to person, but it is usually no more extraordinary than from drinking any other hard liquor: the drinker gets into the state of the “buzz”, senses pointed clarity of mind and vision. This condition ceases within 20 to 30 minutes and many drinkers report that they don’t experience anything out of the ordinary at all, but the regular effects the alcohol has.

Funny it is, but ancient absinthe was somewhat different from that of Verlaine and Picasso’s contemporaneity, since it was delivered through maceration of wormwood leaves in wine and used for medical purposes solely. One could say that ‘Artemisia Absinthium’ (Latin name for wormwood) is one of the most ancient herbs used in medicine.

Thus, Hippocrates recommended taking absinthe to alleviate jaundice, rheumatism, anemia, and menstrual pains, and Pythagoras prescribed it to aid labor in childbirth. One of the Roman scholars, Pliny the Elder by name, proclaimed the liqueur to be a youth elixir as well as a remedy for bad breath. In England in 16th and 17th century the herb was believed to protect against plague, so wormwood was used in the same way as garlic in horror films about vampires – people decorated their doors and windows with it, as well as the ceiling rafters.

However, time passed and ‘Artemisia Absinthium’ and spirits from it became more than just a medicine for various diseases. It is know that by 1559 independent entrepreneurs organized absinthe production from dry wormwood leaves soaked in a liquid containing equal amount of malmsey wine and the so-called “burning water thrice distilled”.

Generally speaking, absinthe is a distilled alcoholic beverage with a typical anise flavor and high content of alcohol – 45% to 75%. It is produced from the herb which name in Latin is ‘Artemisia Absinthium’ (or just wormwood) and which is frequently called the ‘Green Fairy’ for the original color and the believed psychic effect. The abovementioned green color comes from chlorophyll which is derived through the process of maceration – one of the drink production stages.

It’s wrong to call absinthe a liqueur because in contrast to all the latter, no sugar is added to absinthe before the bottle is corked up. However, before being served it is usually thinned with water and that is a clearly distinct feature of the stiff drink which singles it out from all the others.

As for production of absinthe, a whole variety of herbs can be used. The main ones – which are also often referred to as ‘holy trinity’ – are green anise, florence fennel and grande wormwood. Among others the following can be named: angelica root, coriander, dittany leaves, hyssop, juniper, melissa, nutmeg, petite wormwood, star anise, Sweet Flag, veronica and different herbs, vegetating in mountains.