Absinthe Now Legal in the U.S.; Threat Level Raised (Lowered?) to Green
The NY Times has an interesting story about the return of legal absinthe to these United States. Here's a snippet about one of the guys who's now swilling the drink that purportedly made Van Gogh go nuts, turned Toulouse Lautrec into a dwarf played by Jose Ferrer in one of the most godawful movies ever made, forced Oscar Wilde into who knows what, and unleashed one of the original murder sprees in Europe way back when (leading to its being banned)…
"[On my bottles,] I had the image of a spider monkey beating on a skull with femur bones," Mr. Winters said. But he said that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau thought the label "implied that there are hallucinogenic, mind-altering or psychotropic qualities" to the product.
"I said, 'You get all that just from looking at a monkey?'"
His frustration came to a sudden end last Wednesday, when he learned the agency had finally granted approval to his St. George Absinthe Verte, the first American-made absinthe on the market in almost a century.
Since the start of the year, at least four absinthes, including two from Europe and one from South America, have been cleared for sale. At the same time, hundred-year-old legends about its ties to murder and madness have been discredited. For years, absinthe's chief appeal has been its shady reputation and contraband status. It was said to have caused artists like Van Gogh to hallucinate. Now that it is safe and legal, will anyone still drink it?
More here. (And by the way, the answer to that question is yes).
Jacob Sullum on la Fee Verte here et here.
Hat tip: Alan Vanneman, movie critic extraordiniare, pastiche author, and proprietor of an excellent new website, Literature R Us, where he's rolling out a new Nero Wolfe adventure chapter by chapter.
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That stuff tastes like crap, even with a flaming sugar cube. Any way to make it test better? Suggestions on mixers?
Also, more importantly, any way to make it psychoactive? I remember a Johnny Depp film (Chasing the Dragon, maybe?) where he put something on the sugar cube with an eye-dropper before lighting. Anybody know what that was supposed to be?
And I believe the movie was 19th century, so it wasn't blotter acid.
Now that it is safe and legal, will anyone still drink it?
Just Nick. And maybe Welch during one of his and Nick's leather and oil "massage" parties.
Progress! Now if we could only distill Tequila in the USA, rather than relying on bulk imports we could really celebrate.
mike,
Try mixing it with Cuervo 1800.
So what's the deal - I keep reading that this stuff is now legal, but that it does not have the true "wormwood" ingredient that allegedly makes it hallucinogenic. So is this new stuff a tamed version or what?
drawnasunder,
From my very limited understanding, this stuff is very close to the original. It is not a tamed version.
mike,
Absinthe is bottled at a high proof but meant to be consumed diluted with water to the strength of wine.
The stuff is still made with wormwood.
Thujune (sp?) was mistakenly identified as a hallucinogen. It is not.
I can see it now;
Addicted children stumbling through the street looking for their next fix of that stuff with the cute monkey on it.
Drivers, hopped up on Absenthe will be seeing flying lizards and mutants and swerve to avoid them in traffic.
Oh, the horror.
Cue MADD in 3...2...1...
>> I remember a Johnny Depp film (Chasing the Dragon, maybe?)
That was From Hell.
>> where he put something on the sugar cube with an eye-dropper before lighting. Anybody know what that was supposed to be?
It was absinthe:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/522334/johnny_depp_in_from_hell_performing_the_absinthe_ritual_with_dir/
The proper way to prepare absinthe in society
http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=44
...St. George Absinthe Verte, the first American-made absinthe on the market in almost a century.
Think global, imbibe local.
forced Oscar Wilde into who knows what
Or forced who knows who into Oscar Wilde. Sorry, innappropriate slut jokes at the expense of funny funny writers are just a bit unnotdoable.
Shouldn't this be a bigger deal?? I know it is not on par with the repeal of prohibition but it is not everyday that the gov't makes a previously banned substance available for consumption.
SIde note. It appears it will only be sold in San Fransico as of now. Anybody know the plans of these folks, whether they will start expanding.
Umm, the ambrosia of high-proof, anise flavored liquor with wormwood for bitterness and you want to turn it into a cocktail?? Can I interest you in some professional help? Perhaps in the form of Dr. Kevorkian?
As for the "drops on the sugar cube" bit the movie was From Hell and (if I remember the scene correctly) the substance in the dropper bottle was Laudanum, an alcohol tincture of opium. A common way of consuming Laudanum was by dissolving it in another alcoholic beverage, in that case it was Absinthe. Opium is indeed psychoactive but as a narcotic, not a hallucinogen.
turned Toulouse Lautrec into a dwarf played by Jose Ferrer in one of the most godawful movies ever made
Your opinion, Nick. I thought it was great. Won two Oscars, nominated for five more including Best Actor, Director and Picture. I even thought Zsa Zsa's performance was good (and she was beautiful, in her before-slapping-cops youth).
Moulin Rouge
But of course, I thought Baz Luhrman's version was one of the most godawful things ever filmed. So I'm entitled to my opinion.
So for someone who knows very little about absynthe and alcohol in general (hey, I can't even legally drink yet...), what does it do to you that normal alcohol doesn't?
what does it do to you that normal alcohol doesn't?
It makes you look like you are on your 6th humanities degree quicker than any other drink.
Sixth humanities degree! Funny, Guy, funny! Funny!
So what's the deal - I keep reading that this stuff is now legal, but that it does not have the true "wormwood" ingredient that allegedly makes it hallucinogenic. So is this new stuff a tamed version or what?
One of Jacob Sullum's previous articles linked above explains how a chemist named Ted Breaux analyzed some very old bottles of absinthe, and discovered that they didn't contain as much thujone (the neurotoxic ingredient in wormwood)as was believed. It's the same stuff; apparently it's toxicity was just exaggerated.
Weak sauce. It's worth the shipping cost to get the good stuff. It can actually be had with quite high, likely hallucinogenic, levels of thujone. Generally, it's cheaper that way...
Back in the day cheap absinthe was laced with copper sulphate to get the green color. Copper sulphate is poisonous and will rot your brain.
Johnny was adding Laudnium to his drink, addictive and deadly.
This and many other articles coming out now give the impression that the laws have changed.
NO Laws have changed and traditional absinthe is still illegal. These companies have just filtered out the chemical Thujone , found in wormwood so that they can pass the FDA regulations.
More Info
http://www.greendevil.com/absinthe_us.html
The companies offering absinthe in the US are now on a public relations / marketing campaign to give the impression that "Absinthe is now legal" In reality no laws have changed just what they are selling
What was commonly dripped over the sugar cube was laudnum it's an opiate, or liquid opium still legal in the U.S
Make that *laudanum*
God