Flying High with the Green Fairy

O.K., my head has finally cleared enough to report on my “encounter” with the Green Fairy. Yes, at my friend ms’s house the other night, while discussing our plans to lure Tony Bourdain to Sonoma County, m introduced me to his bottle of Absinthe—that formally-banned, very-high-proof spirit so popular (and controversial) in France at the turn of the 19th Century.

It was a fascinating experience on all counts. First, a little history. Absinthe is an anise-flavored spirit distilled from herbs. One of those herbs contains wormwood, which for years was thought to provoke hallucinations. Absinthe became a hugely popular drink in France, and because it was thought to be addictive and psychoactive, it was banned in the U.S. in 1912 and in France in 1915. Over the years, however, cooler heads have prevailed (so to speak), and since May 2007 Absinthe may now be sold in the U.S.

M had a bottle produced made Kübler & Wyss, part of the Blackmint family of spirit-producers, which is distilled at the so-called home of absinthe, in Val-de-Travers, which is in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

The goodies: drink, slotted-spoon, sugar cubes


Part of the allure of absinthe is the ritual required to properly prepare it. Here’s the recipe: To a glass, add one shot of absinthe, then slowly – slowly – drizzle three shots of ice-cold water over a sugar cube into the absinthe. The once-green absinthe (hence its nickname “the Green Fairy”) turns a milky-white.

Like being back in Science lab!

The results? I thought it tasted exactly like black liquorice. Because of that, it doesn’t burn/you can’t really taste the alcohol, and hence I can readily see how people could drink it easily…and often. Because of its high alcohol content, however (53% abv, 106 proof), it does pack a wallop. My head was spinning by the time I finished my drink, even while nibbling on bread and (a very nice) goat cheese.

All in all, it was quite the fun experience, and I'd like to thank m for sharing with me. While I might not run out and by my own bottle (I’m not a big spirits guy), I’d definitely have another glass down the road: with friends, and at the right occasion. (P.S. And I must say, muffy—you rock. Any wife who buys her husband a bottle of absinthe and a slotted-spoon and some cool sugar cubes is way-cowgirl-cool in my book.)

Anyway, if you're interested, the web is filled with all kinds of absinthe-related goodies, including a buyer's guide an even an Absinthe Lounge in, of all places, Texas. If you get a chance, have a glass...and you too can fly high with the Green Fairy.