Absinthe and the Green Fairy (continued from my earlier post)

I never tied it because I don't drink but I'm curious as to how it tastes.  The story behind the drink is fascinating. Here is some information I've found.

This man is in his own world.

Absinthe can have an alcohol percentage of 45–74% ABV (alcohol by volume), or 90–148 proof. The common alcohol percentage is 68%. 

What Does Absinthe

 Taste Like?

Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage, and it has a strong taste to match. In his short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” Ernest Hemingway likened absinthe’s flavor to licorice. Many would agree with this comparison — but the Wormwood Society argues that quality absinthe should never taste like licorice candy. Instead, it should have a slightly bitter, dry, and astringent flavor that’s both complex and subtle.

 toxic substances sometimes added to cheap absinthes, could cause mental health problems. Today, it has been proven that the thujone present in absinthe has no hallucinogenic effect in the doses consumed

Purported to stimulate creativity and possess aphrodisiac properties, it was the preferred drink for the artesian class.  Artists Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Edward Manet, Edgar Degas, and authors Oscar Wilde, Emile Zola, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, and Ernest Hemmingway all imbibed the potent green liquor with regularity.

Drinking Ritual

…What is the ritual for drinking absinthe?

The absinthe ritual is also seen as a symbol of the tradition and history of absinthe. This ritual is, therefore, an important part of the drinking experience. The ritual involves carefully pouring cold water over a sugar cube placed on a slotted spoon above a glass of absinthe.

My earlier post link:

https://johns-spot112948.blogspot.com/2012/09/absinthe-and-green-fairy.html