# Absinthe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466 "2008-11-25T19:02:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Redfrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Redfrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redfrost)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/1 "2008-11-25T19:02:20Z")
We’ve had threads about Scotch, Bourbon, and Beer. We even had one for your favorite poison. What about Absinthe? I’ve never had it but really want to. I’ve read the wikipedia article about it and a local liquor store carries it. I can’t find it for less than $45, not that I’d necessarily want to drink anything cheaper than that. What I want to know to is what should I be looking for in a good absinthe and where can I get it? Also, what can I expect to pay for a good bottle? I’ve read that thujone is the ingredient that really makes the difference and to have a noticably different effect that just plain old liquor the thujone levels should be high. I know it doesn’t cause hallucinations and that most of the hype is unfounded myth. What are your experiences? Should I bother giving it a try? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/2 "2008-11-25T19:13:14Z")
I’ve never had the chance to try it. But Wiki has a [detailed article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe) and there’s an interesting chapter in Taras Grescoe’s book _The Devil’s Picnic_ about absinthe. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/3 "2008-11-25T19:19:42Z")
In my limited experience, absinthe produces a nice but not unique buzz and tastes like crap - but then I’m not fond of anise in general. Higher thujone levels do not equal better or more authentic absinthes: [http://oxygenee.com/absinthe-effect/thujone.html](http://oxygenee.com/absinthe-effect/thujone.html) [Cecil’s somewhat out-of-date column](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=494696). Previous threads [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=458257&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=458257&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=451322&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=451322&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444538&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444538&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444538&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444538&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=376360&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=376360&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363479&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363479&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363471&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=363471&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=358877&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=358877&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=332969&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=332969&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=257360&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=257360&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=251385&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=251385&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246330&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246330&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246212&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246212&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=161427&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=161427&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=153686&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=153686&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=124144&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=124144&highlight=absinthe) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=121456&highlight=absinthe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=121456&highlight=absinthe) etc. ---
**Author:** ![Redfrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Redfrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redfrost)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/4 "2008-11-25T20:39:55Z")
Thanks for the links. I’m at work and didn’t have a lot time to search. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/5 "2008-11-25T22:27:25Z")
It’s fun as a novelty and if it were cheaper and more readily available I’d drink it more often. To me, it just tastes like an anisette with a strange aftertaste. I like the buning sugar cube [ritual](http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_drink_absinthe)when prepping a drink. You could buy a cheap bottle of absinthe in the Czech Republic back when I was visiting for $5, which was much more my style. ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/6 "2008-11-26T02:28:46Z")
I’m not overly fond of absinthe – but I’m not a fan of liquorice/anise, either, and that’s what it tastes like, mostly. Our local wine shop has the actual bottle (for about $45, IIRC) of Le Tourment Vert brand (I had to go check our pantry to be sure; I don’t care for it, but the hubby likes it, so we have a bottle), and they also have a $7 “taster” bottle. You might see if any of your local stores have the small/taster bottles just to try it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/7 "2008-11-26T04:04:07Z")
> [@kurilla](#): > > I’m not overly fond of absinthe – but I’m not a fan of liquorice/anise, either, and that’s what it tastes like, mostly. Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder. Tho I’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/8 "2008-11-26T14:30:47Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder. Tho I’ve been told. Heh. that sounds like something Oscar Wilde would say. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/9 "2008-11-26T15:22:43Z")
It’s nothing more than a strong, high alcohol central European version of Sambucca, Pernod or Ouzo, none of which I’m a big fan of myself. It usually has a really high alcohol content, so it can knock you on your ass, but it’s something with a lot of mythological cred that it doesn’t rightly deserve to my thinking. File that one under “another random apertif” and stick it under the bar. You want actual liquor that can make you more than just your normal drunk seek out some authentic [Habu Sake](http://www.stripes.com/01/mag/sm072201c.html). I swear that stuff will make your head spin in a new and different way. ---
**Author:** ![Redfrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Redfrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redfrost)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/10 "2008-11-26T15:32:47Z")
Having read through the threads posted by **TWDuke** and read some of the info on the links from those articles I’ve found that _Lucid_ seems to be a good start. Does anyone have any comments on the quality of _Lucid_ or personal recommendations for a good absinthe? Thanks again to **TWDuke** those links were immensely helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/11 "2008-11-26T15:34:08Z")
I’ve had a couple different brands. I take mine straight; the little rituals with sugar cubes and such are done only for company. The major + it has to offer for me is the technicolor dreams I have after drinking it. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/12 "2008-11-26T15:39:59Z")
A friend gave me a straight shot of it once. I drank it and promptly ran and barfed in the bathroom sink, then used toothpaste and brushed my mouth with a finger to try to get rid of the vile taste. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absinthe/474466/13 "2008-11-26T15:59:30Z")
On a recent trip to San Diego, I saw an ad in the local tourist magazine for a New Orleans-themed bar that supposedly does the whole absinthe ritual on certain nights. I was a bit surprised because I was not aware that the ban on absinthe had been lifted. Can’t remember the name of the place–perhaps some area Dopers could help. Anyway, I never got there because I couldn’t fit it in my plans for the few days I was there. I’d like to try it next time I go, just to say I’ve done it (even though I don’t particularly like anise, either).