I just heard a commercial for absinthe!

[Kat45]

I couldn't believe it. I may be wrong, but I didn't think that stuff was even legal in this country. I heard it on an internet radio station, and the place to buy it was a web address.

[Goblinmonger]

1. You got my curiosity up so I looked.

I found this

http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/faq.html

I probably have another entry in my FBI file for going to that web site. This site says the sale of it is prohibited but it is not a controlled substance. Don't know what that means, exactly.

[Kat45]

2. That's a strange phrasing.

I wonder what reason is given for its sale being prohibited?

[Goblinmonger]

3. I read further since putting up the link

Apparently it contains some ingredient that the FDA doesn't think is safe. If you order it online and have it shipped here, it is subject to confiscation.

[Kat45]

5. Interesting.

I wonder if anyone here knows any more about this?

[democracyindanger]

10. Wormwood.

Absinthe has been considered unsafe by the FDA because of wormwood for probably something like a century, and was also outlawed in France for quite awhile because it was suspected of causing madness (see Toulouse Lautrec). But, like many hallucinogens, it probably suffered most because the poor and artist class enjoyed it.

There are distilleries that sell "absinthe" that doesn't contain wormwood, but you can't really call it absinthe. It's as close to the real thing as tofurky is to turkey.

[uppityperson]

22. French friend told me that it was given to soldiers going into battle

It got them so drunk they couldn't see well, but could shoot and not worry about dying. There's some gothic-young-people's myth about it, according to some goth-young-people I know.

[democracyindanger]

29. Wouldn't be surprised...PCP

I think it was, was originally developed by the Nazis to be used as a combat stimulant. Would make sense that somebody earlier tried a lower-tech version.

[Scout1071]

4. It's easily purchased on the web, but it showed up in my local liquor

store recently.

I've tried it. Didn't really see what the fuss is all about.

:shrug:

[LynneSin]

14. See my post before - it's not 'Wormwood' Absinthe

There's a cousin of the Wormwood that US sold Absinthes use in order to sell it in the United States.

[Scout1071]

20. I didn't try the state-side variety.

Still didn't see what the fuss was about...reminded me of Jaeger.

Added to note we did the sugar thing too. That was weird.

[LynneSin]

23. I haven't had either variety

I was at Kreston's with Ramsey (another DUer) and she was looking for Limoncello. Kreston's is this really great liquor store that has a great wine selection and all sorts of high end & rare products (they're so snooty they won't sell 40s or wino wine). Anyhow, I saw the stuff right next to the limoncello (that's Italian Lemon Liquor - really good stuff) and I asked the guy about it. But at $40 a bottle I felt no need to actually try it. If I ever have absinthe it'll be the real stuff, not the fake 'Made in the USA' variety

[Wapsie B]

21. I wouldn't mind trying it.

But I'm not expecting anything but a shot of booze, nota anything akin to psychedellic mushrooms.

[LynneSin]

6. There's a cousin to Absinthe sold in the United States

I think it's spelled slightly different too. But I've seen it in my favorite liquor store next to the fancy specialty stuff. It's made with something that is a cousin to the wormwood so it's not 'dangerous' like the real absinthe is suppose to be.

Here's more information. This wasn't the brand I saw but it's another legal version of absinthe

http://cocktails.about.com/cs/productreviews/gr/absente1.htm

[Kat45]

9. Thanks, Lynne. That's interesting.

I guess it's pseudo-absinthe. :shrug:

[LynneSin]

12. There's a marketing niche for the stuff

I remember seeing it in the store soon after 'Moulin Rouge' came out and the guy at the store said it sold for a bit for crazy gen-xers wanting to do the 'Moulin Rouge' thing. But I noticed just a few weeks ago they were either not carrying it anymore or moved it (It was next to the Limoncello, which I buy from time to time).

I suppose if I really wanted to try absinthe I would want the real stuff, not some pseudo-stuff (it's make with Southernwood which is related to wormwood) but the real thing. But I also don't want to be on some FBI list for ordering the stuff and shipping it into the US. Maybe if I ever make it over to Europe I'll try it over there.

[Dr. Death]

7. Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder...

or so I've heard...

[Goblinmonger]

8. From one who is very fond of puns

thank you. I enjoyed that.

[Dr. Death]

11. Thanks, but in the interest of non-plagiarizing

I must say that I heard that first on Benny Hill many years ago.

Glad you enjoyed it, though...good puns should never be lost!

:toast:

[Goblinmonger]

13. Benny Hill

What a hoot. There are such great British comedies. Black Adder. Mr. Bean. Fawlty Towers.

Benny Hill is the basis for the line I tell my lit students when things get too serious, "The British have taught us that there is nothing funnier than a man in a dress. Unless it's a fart."

[Dr. Death]

15. I teach too,

And I try to work in Benny Hill, Monty Python, etc. whenever possible...

Laughter is important.

[Goblinmonger]

18. Do you teach Brit Lit?

[Dr. Death]

25. No, archaeology

But I bring in Lit as much as possible.

[Redstone]

24. You're wrong. Laughter is not important.

Laughter is essential.

Redstone

[crispini]

16. Not legal to sell, but legal to possess.

That stuff's very cool. All of the drunk and none of the stupid. Mellow and relaxed, but with clarity and energy. I brought some home with me from France and I'll be buying some more online. If it gets here, it'll be worth it.

[Jed Dilligan]

17. Had some in Holland recently

Tastes alright if you grew up chewing on wild fennel and anise (I did). A lot of people can't even get it down. The bartender did this weird thing setting sugar on fire in a spoon and then dousing it in the liquor, which made it seem even more like drugs. I could definitely feel the opiate effect--stronger than the alcohol. I called it "hair-o-wine."

[Redstone]

19. If you want to know what Absinthe tastes like, but don't want to die,

just drink some green Chartreuse.

You'll get the flavor without the poisonous alkaloids that the oil of wormood contributes.

Trust me on this one.

Redstone

[Jed Dilligan]

26. I disagree

absinthe is like a "curiously strong" liquorice, while chartreuse looks and smells exactly like Simple Green. Of course, I don't know how Simple Green tastes. But chartreuse doesn't quite buzz you up the way absinthe will... probably because of the lack of deadly poisons (other than alcohol)!

[RandiFan1290]

27. I have not tried it, yet

but I have looked into it and these are the best sites I have found:

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.html

http://www.oxygenee.com/

http://www.absintheonline.com/

[Kat45]

28. I'm not sure, but I think that third one is the one I heard advertised

[XemaSab]

30. Wormwood: Artemesia absinthium

Not too difficult to find the plant online if anyone wants to try the homebrew style.

[mitchum]

31. Charles Baudelaire and I once fought over a bottle...

but we made up and went in search of some poxy whores.
Oh, some divans were stained that evening!

[lies and propaganda]

32. i have abottle coming for xmas

my friend recently purchased one online from England and he loved it.

Its legal, i dont know the ins and outs but its legal as far as i know it.