Slightly off the topic of wine, but heavy on my radar is Absinthe. As most of you know, I am huge cocktail fan, partly due to the 10+ years of tending bar (I was once a bar trainer for TGIF in their hey day), and partly because, well, I like cocktails. This summer has already seen many Mojitos, Tequila Gimlets, and as many varieties of drinks as there are glasses to put them in. The one thing I have yet to do this year is to dance with Le Fee Verte.

Absinthe has a very storied history There are some good accounts of it’s legend and lore all over the internets, but since we are talking about Flavorpill’s recipe, I’ll link you there. I also think they have a cool site, so visit early and visit often.

Flavorpill puts together a recipe that sounds quite tasty, and I am going to scout the liquor stores in Portland this weekend for a bottle of premium Absinthe to “field test”. If you are in the Portland area, I will be around Thur - Sun. Find me using @drinksomewine in Twitter. Made with

One part Le Tourment Vert Absinthe
Two parts Club soda
Fresh orange juice
Shake well and pour over ice
Garnish with an orange wedge

This cocktail is sure to please the palette, but what about the mind?

I received an email last night from B. Alex, the Master Distiller at Esmeralda Liquors in Spain, the makers of Obsello Absinthe. Although the product is yet to be available in the US, he was quite generous in providing me a few answers to my questions about the once banned product. He is trying to insure that the American consumers are educated about Absinthe, and in doing so he debunks some of the myth of the green fairy.

Here are two specific points he made that I thought are valuable insights.

What makes an absinthe authentic?
Real absinthe is distilled from the purportedly psychotropic wormwood
(artemesia absinthium) plant, green anise and fennel as well as any number
of additional herbs. After the first distillation process the product can
then be bottled and sold as a clear absinthe (Blanch absinthe) or it can be
colored by macerating additional herbs in the alcohol before bottling. A
high-quality green absinthe will come in a black bottle in order to preserve
the color from the harmful effects of sunlight. Absinthe is typically
bottled between 45% ­ 70% alcohol by volume. When watered down; three or
four parts water to one part absinthe, the clear beverage will turn to a
cloudy milky green.

What is an absinthe buzz and is it hallucinogenic?
At this point no official studies have been done on the effects of absinthe
vs the effects of ordinary liquor. However there is significant anecdotal
evidence that absinthe does induce a creative and alert feeling. Many of
the famous artists of 19th century France and Spain attributed their
creativity to the drink. Most consumers describe an alert intoxication or a
feeling of super awareness combined with the effects of the alcohol. It is
also purported to be an aphrodisiac.

Absinthe is not, and never was, a Hallucinogenic drug.

Have you flown with the Green Fairy? Do you have an absinthe I should try? Can you recommend a dish to order at Jake Famous in Portland, where the chick and I will be dining? I look forward to your comments below.