Absinthe Back in the US After 100 Years

Posted Jul 3rd 2007 7:44AM by Jonathan M. Forester
Filed under: New Products, America, Spirits

Absinthe, the spirit of imagination to many, and the devil incarnate to the U.S. government, is being approved on a case by case scenario by the Feds. Banned since 1910 due to unproved health dangers from the substance thujone, found in wormwood, an ingredient in absinthe, it has been the subject of controversy for centuries. Many folk tales and rites and rituals have grown around it and its supposedly hallucinogenic properties.

Several companies have been striving to recreate authentic versions similar to those made in the 1800s, many with low enough thujone levels to pass U.S. inspection. The first of these to do so is Lucid, imported from France by New York-based Viridian Spirits. Others will be following soon. I'll let you know when I get my hands on some to review.

Tags: absinthe, legal, lucid, thujone

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

7-03-2007 @ 10:51PM

Marshall said...

Every commercially bottled Absinthe I've had has paled compared to the various on the sly versions I've drank.

7-03-2007 @ 10:58PM

noksagt said...

Absente has been around for a while. I suspect I've seen others in the U.S. too....

7-04-2007 @ 1:40AM

phantom.trollbooth said...

I've ordered a couple of bottles from a german retailer online and had no problem getting it through shipped through customs.

7-05-2007 @ 10:26AM

Kathryn said...

That's exciting! I've always wanted to try absinthe. I can't wait for this to hit stores.

7-05-2007 @ 1:12PM

MJ said...

Always wanted to try this.......will keep a watch for it.

7-05-2007 @ 4:39PM

James said...

No need to wait.. Order from another country and have it shipped in.

I have a bottle of Doub's Absinthe waiting to be cracked open than I ordered from a store in the UK.

7-06-2007 @ 12:01AM

dave said...

Is this legit absinthe?:

www.absinthe.bz/?act_vn

7-06-2007 @ 7:57PM

James said...

Dave:

This is where I went when I first starting researching absinthe.. http://www.feeverte.net/guide/

Read through people opinions and just go for one..

7-07-2007 @ 8:13PM

Leah said...

NEVER HAD IT, BUT IM GONNA!!!

7-07-2007 @ 8:29PM

Becca said...

True, real Absinthe isn't that hard to come across. I ordered it online from a Czechoslovakian website. It came in the mail. I picked it up from the post office without any concerns or questions being asked. If you're going to do Absinthe correctly, make sure to order the spoon and sugar cubes too! Then you can take a shot that's lit on fire = )

7-07-2007 @ 8:38PM

john said...

bought a bottle at heathrow airport last march,never got stopped at customs.

got the good french brand la fee

7-07-2007 @ 9:03PM

mandy said...

Lets be honest. If they start selling it in the US again, it won't be as good as it used to be.

7-07-2007 @ 9:26PM

vicasar said...

So many of you talk about it not being as good as it used to be, but honestly, are any of you old enough to actually know what it used to be?

7-07-2007 @ 9:31PM

Stephanie said...

Always wanted to try the real stuff,but where to get it online? Can it be ordered from Canada on the phone??

7-07-2007 @ 11:05PM

gary gabriel said...

Some 47 years ago I enjoyed absinthe in Italy under the name of perno. It was yellow in color and tasted like anisetta, but it made your tongue and lips numb. Not bad.

7-07-2007 @ 11:09PM

di Gracia said...

Grand stuff, I've always ordered it online. I've got mixed feelings about this news. Now it will be easier to buy if you can just head on to the grocery store and buy it, but on the other hand, if they're only allowed to sell this 'low wormwood chemical' version, then I think its best to stick with buying online. Its never been proved that absinth/absinthe has any odd effect on anyone, anyone who has too much of any alcohol acts odd. So to this conditional ban appeal, I say 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

7-07-2007 @ 11:14PM

natalija said...

I feel kind of stupid asking this, because everyone seems to know about it...what is Absinthe????

7-07-2007 @ 11:36PM

Darren said...

Pernod is a modified form of pastis and has nothing to do with Absinthe

7-08-2007 @ 1:35AM

rbyowens said...

Can't wait. It has been years since I have had absinthe.

7-08-2007 @ 4:35AM

ginnie said...

It's wonderful. My daughter brought back a bottle for the UK. I see nothing wrong with it.

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