The Absinthe fairy was used on Absinthe label and posters. In the film Moulin Rouge Absinthe, the Green Fairy, was the favorite drink of artists and writers.

Absinthe Fairy Followers

Famous devotees of La Fee Verte, the Green Fairy, were Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway who created his own Absinthe cocktail “Death in the Afternoon” – a mix of Absinthe and champagne. Absinthe not only gave writers and artists their genius and their inspiration but also most pieces of art of the time highlight Absinthe or Absinthe drinkers. The Belle Epoque period of history is known as the hey day for Absinthe.

Absinthe is prepared from herbs and essential oils. Absinthe is prepared from the herb wormwood. Wormwood gives Absinthe its characteristic bitter taste and herbs like aniseed, anise and fennel give the spirit its anise flavor.

Thujone, a chemical found in wormwood oil, was thought to be psychoactive and to give psychedelic effects, cause hallucinations and eventually insanity. Due to the loose morals of the drinkers in Montmartre prohibition campaigners ammunition banned Absinthe in France. The buying or selling of Absinthe was banned. It was banned in many other countries also. Spain, where Absinthe was called Absenta, Portugal, the UK and the Czech Republic did not ban the Green Fairy.

Absinthe Fairy and Prohibition

During the prohibition period, distilleries, such as the Pernod Fils distillery, started producing Absinthe substitutes such as Pernod Pastis to market to the people who were missing the anise flavor of Absinthe. Ricard was another Absinthe substitute.

As bootleg absinthe was still distilled and sold in several nations which showed that the distilling of Absinthe is existing there.

Although Absinthe was made legal in many countries in the 1990s but in Switzerland it was legalized in 2005. You can now buy Absinthe and Absinthe essence kits online along with Absinthiana such as glasses, spoons and fountains. A special antique or replica glass with a proper spoon really adds to the Absinthe preparation ritual.

Studies showed that the thujone content in Absinthe was safe so it was legalized in many countries. Absinthe is much higher in alcohol than other spirits such as whisky and vodka but was never designed to drink neat. It should be mixed with iced water which allows you to enjoy La Louche – the clouding that happens when the water mixes with the alcohol.

For making own bottled Absinthe one can get the real wormwood Absinthe and essences from several websites.com.