Why Was Absinthe Banned in the United States?

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Just about everything you’ve heard about absinthe is probably untrue. It won’t give you hallucinations or make you go crazy. It doesn’t taste like licorice-flavored jelly-beans doused in Vicks cough syrup, although it does taste like licorice jelly beans. It doesn’t involve lighting sugar cubes on fire. And, it’s not illegal, although it once was. This notorious spirit, in fact, was the most widely consumed and popular spirit in Europe during the 1800s.

Much is made of the fact that absinthe was enjoyed by Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and other famous artists and writers. But, this revelation belies the fact that absinthe was a hugely popular drink enjoyed by many, not just the artistic and famous.

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I tend to think that this connection to artists has as much to do with the idea that it was enjoyed by those with a special temperament and who didn’t mind, or even welcomed a risky psychological effect, if not an outright dangerous one. One modern brand of absinthe, called Absente, displays a portrait of Vincent Van Gogh on the box label.

Absinthe Taste

Absinthe is a slightly sweet, herbaceous liquor containing anise, fennel, and wormwood. Like other liqueurs d’anis, including anisette, the chief taste of absinthe is anise. It also has a slight but not overpowering bitter taste. The overall flavor of anise will vary depending on the botanicals used.

You may have heard that Absinthe will remind you of a black licorice jelly bean dipped in Vick’s cough syrup. This is not true, at least to my taste. It may definitely remind you of a black licorice jelly bean, but not in a bad way. The bottle of St. George Absinthe Verte I tried taste exactly like a black licorice jellybean with a slightly herbal and bitter undertone. If you hate the flavors of anise and fennel, either of which is reminiscent of licorice, then you will not enjoy absinthe. Depending on the other herbs used many other flavors can be present, including grassy and minty notes.

Absinthe, otherwise known as the green fairy or the emerald muse, is a part of the classic New Orleans drink, the Sazerac.

Absinthe Beginnings

Invented in the 1700s as a medicinal preparation, the first commercial absinthe distillery was opened in Switzerland in 1798 by Major Daniel Henri Dubied with the help of Swiss distiller, Henri Louis-Pernod.

In 1805, Pernod opened his own larger Maison Pernod-Fils distillery in France. Other distillers soon followed with their own versions but Pernod was the most popular brand of absinthe throughout the 1800s, until it was banned.

Banning of Absinthe

This quite innocent liqueur was banned in the United States, France, and some other countries in 1915, mostly due to the presence of wormwood. Wormwood, also called the absinthe plant, is not hallucinogenic, as is widely believed.

However, in large amounts, wormwood can be toxic due to the compound thujone. Thujone actually has some beneficial effects at low doses like that found in a tea, but should not be consumed in excess. It was banned in the U.S. from 1902 to 2007.

It is now legally available again and the amount of thujone in a dram of absinthe is not dangerous. It may even help to relax you, in combination with the alcohol. I have found this to be the case and it does seem that absinthe is particularly relaxing and perhaps even may help you sleep more than alcohol alone. Keep in mind the main problem with using alcohol to help you sleep is that it also tend to result in early wakefulness (when used moderately). It is unknown if the small amount of thujone will counteract this effect.

Anisette Liqueur – History and Overview

This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Anisette is the oldest of several anise-flavored liqueurs, among which is the infamous green liqueur, Absinthe, which was banned in the U.S. and other countries for years. Anisette, which has...

Fake Absinthe and Propaganda

During the 1990s, the reputation of absinthe as a dangerous drink that could make you go crazy, cause hallucinations, and perhaps send you on a spirit-ride, was bolstered by a lot of shady marketers who offered fake absinthes that were made with nothing more than grain spirits, artificial flavors, and green coloring.

The marketing copy played on the supposed hallucinogenic properties of absinthe and recycled the very beliefs that got absinthe banned in the first place.

While absinthe was banned, Pastis came to be used as a replacement. Pastis are sweeter and do not have the sophisticated flavor of absinthe, most notably due to the lack of wormwood.

Return of Absinthe

Several brands of absinthe claim to be the first absinthe to be introduced back into the United States after the ban was enforced. Lucid Absinthe, brought by French absinthe historian and chemist, Ted Breaux in 2007 is actually the first brand to have been approved for export into the U.S. after the ban. It was approved on March 3, 2007.

When Lucid was first being developed, the ban was still in place. Breaux and his fellow researchers realized that the ban did not really specify absinthe at all, but simply thujone in amounts greater than 10ppm. They tested various old bottles of absinthe and found that they all contained less than the banned amount.

Indeed, it turns out that absinthe never contained enough thujone to justify it being banned in the first place and neither do any new offerings. It is legal for it to contain trace amounts of thujone as well as fenchone (wormwood, fennel), and pino camphone (hyssop). Some absinthes are made with sage, another thujone-containing herb.

St. George Absinthe Verte claims to be the first legal American-made brand to be released (2007) after the ban was lifted.

Ingredients in Absinthe

The main ingredients needed to make a true absinthe are:

Grande wormwood
Green anise
Fennel

Other herbs that might be used are:

Coriander
Angelica
Hyssop
Star Anise
Peppermint
Elecampane
Dittany
Petite Wormwood
Lemon Balm

Absinthes do not usually contain added sugar. The slight sweetness comes from the herbs themselves. Also, high-quality absinthes do not contain licorice. Any licorice flavor comes from the fennel and anise.

The color of absinthe can vary from deep green, amber, to clear, depending on the combination of herbs used and whether additional herbs are macerated into the post-distillation product. The color does tend to mellow with age.

How Absinthe is Made

It is correct to call absinthe a spirit or liquor, but depending on the finishing steps, it does fit the definition of a liqueur, although its alcohol amount is quite high compared to most liqueurs, especially since no sugar or other sweetener is added.

The chosen botanicals are macerated in a warmed spirit, usually based on wine. Then, the spirit is redistilled in a copper pot still. Then, more herbs are added to the distillate to reinforce the flavor and impart the distinctive green color.

Some producers skip this final step, either producing a clear spirit or adding green coloring instead. Do not purchase absinthes that contain coloring, which marks an inferior product. Such ingredients must be listed on the label.

Classic absinthes were usually quite strong at about 130 proof, or about 65% alcohol by volume.

How It’s Served

Traditionally, absinthe is enjoyed by slowly dripping cold water off a sugar cube. The sugar cube can be dispensed with unless you want the additional sweetness. The need for a sugar cube may vary with the brand of absinthe.

Ice cold water slowly added to the absinthe causes a reaction that turns the absinthe cloudy. The slowly forming trails of cloudiness are called the ‘louche.’ This cloudiness is caused by certain compounds crystallizing out of solution. This brings out the subtle herbal notes and aromas that true absinthe lovers desire.

More louche does not necessarily mean that the absinthe is better, however, as it could also mean that the absinthe contains too much anise, which is quite astringent and numbing to the tongue and so will ruin the taste.

Many brands of absinthe are now readily available in liquor stores in the United States including the now revived Pernod Absinthe, which opened its new post-ban distillery in 2014, located in Thuir, France. 1,2,3

See More Cocktails

Absinthe Cocktail Recipes

The Absinthe Drip

1.5 oz absinthe
1 sugar cube
4.5 – 6 oz ice-cold water

Pour the absinthe into a small glass of your choice. A thick stemmed glass is usually used. Place a slotted absinthe spoon over the rim of the glass and put the sugar cube on the spoon.

Slowly pour or drip the cold water over the sugar cube. The mixture will develop trails of cloudiness as your pour, which will slowly turn the whole mixture cloudy. When the whole drink is cloudy, you’ve probably added enough water. Ice can be added, if desired and more sugar and water can be added if find the result too strong.

In the absence of an absinthe spoon, you can hold the sugar cube in a pair of tongs, although this is more difficult. If you want to skip the added sugar, just slowly pour the cold water into the absinthe.

Classic Sazerac

¼ ounce absinthe
2 ounces rye whiskey
¼ ounce simple syrup
4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Lemon (for garnish)

Pour the absinthe into a chilled rocks glass and swirl it around to coat the interior of the glass. Pour out the excess absinthe.

In a mixing glass with ice, combine the rye whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters. Stir until cold, about 30 to 40 seconds. Strain the mixture into the absinthe-coated glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Do not add ice.

La Louisiane

Similar to the sazerac, this cocktail also comes from New Orleans. It was invented in the late 1800s at the Restaurant La Louisiane in New Orleans. Versions of La Louisiane are also made without absinthe.

2 oz rye whiskey
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Benedictine liqueur
.25 oz (1.5 teaspoons) absinthe
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Luxardo Maraschino cherry for garnish

Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir. Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass or other glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Death in the Afternooncou

This cocktail was inspired by Ernest Hemingway, who enjoyed absinthe. It is named after his book of the same name. The recipe is first seen in print in 1935.

1 oz absinthe
1 tsp simple syrup
4 oz well-chilled Champagne, Prosecco, or other Sparkling Wine

Pour the absinthe and simple syrup into a champagne flute or cocktail glass. Gently add the chilled champagne to top it off.

Savoy Special (martini)

2 oz dry gin
1 oz dry vermouth
1/4 oz grenadine (pomegranate) syrup
1/6 oz absinthe
1/3 oz chilled water

Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Mauresque

1.5 oz absinthe
1 oz orgeat (almond) syrup
Chilled water

Pour the absinthe and almond syrup into a collins glass. Add water to taste (about 5 ounces is recommended). Add ice to fill the glass.

Maurice Cocktail (martini)

1.5 oz dry gin
1/4 oz absinthe
3/4 oz dry vermouth
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz orange juice
orange zest twist for garnish

Fill a shaker half full with ice. Add all the ingredients to the shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange zest, if desired.

Absinthe Suissesse

1 oz absinthe
1/4 oz anisette liqueur
1/2 oz creme de menthe
1 oz fresh egg white
dash orange flower water

Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake very well so that the egg white completely emulsifies. Strain the mixture into a champagne glass or daiquiri glass.

Absinthe Frappe

1.5 oz absinthe
.5 oz simple syrup
2 oz soda water
8 mint leaves
1 lemon wedge

Put the mint leaves and lemon wedge into a shaker and gently muddle them. Add the absinthe and fill with ice. Shake well. Strain the mixture into a collins or highball glass filled well with crushed ice. Top with a bit of soda water and then gently stir. Garnish with more fresh mint, lime, or lemon wedge.

Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice. Fill a shaker 3/4 full with ice. Add absinthe and simple syrup and shake well until cold. Strain into the rocks glass. Stir and top off with more ice. Add the sprig of mint for garnish.

Absinthe Chrysanthemum

2 oz dry vermouth
1 oz Benedictine liqueur
3 dashes absinthe
orange twist for garnish

Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the ingredients and stir until cold. Strained into a chilled coupe glass or other glass. Garnish with the orange twist.

The Green Beast

3 slices seedless cucumber, peeled
1 oz simple syrup
1 oz absinthe
1 oz lime juice
4 oz chilled water
cucumber slices for garnish

Add the cucumbers and simple syrup to a Collins glass and muddle. Add the absinthe, lime juice, and ice. Top with the chilled water and garnish with cucumber slices.

Billionaire Cocktail

2 oz bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 oz simple syrup
1⁄4 oz absinthe
1⁄2 oz grenadine syrup (pomegranate)
Lemon wheel or lemon wedge, for garnish

Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake well and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with the lemon wheel or wedge.

La Tour Eiffel

Similar to the Sazerac except with cognac instead of rye, Cointreau instead of simple syrup, and Suze bitters instead of Peychaud’s.

1/4 oz absinthe
2 1/2 oz cognac
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce Suze
lemon twist for garnish

Pour the absinthe into a chilled Champagne flute and swirl to coat the inside of the glass. Add a few ice cubes to the flute. Put ice into a mixing glass and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until well-chilled. Dump the ice and any remaining absinthe from the flute and strain the cold mixture into the flute. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Key Summary Points For “Why Was Absinthe Banned in the United States?”

Absinthe is a well-known liqueur in a class of liqueurs known as liqueurs d’anis. It is a slightly sweet, herbaceous liquor containing anise, fennel, and wormwood. It tastes chiefly of anise, and has a slight but not overpowering bitter taste.
Other herbs might be used in absinthe, including coriander, angelica, hyssop, star anise, peppermint, and more.
Absinthes do not usually contain added sugar, and high-quality absinthes do not contain licorice.
Absinthe was inInvented in the 1700s as a medicinal preparation. The first commercial absinthe distillery was opened in Switzerland in 1798.
Pernod was the most popular brand of absinthe throughout the 1800s, until it was banned.
In 1915, Absinthe was banned in the United States, France, and some other countries because of the presence of wormwood, which contains a toxic compound called thujone. However, the amount of thujone in a dram of absinthe is not dangerous.
During the 1990s, shady marketers bolstered the reputation of absinthe as a dangerous drink and offering fake absinthes made with grain spirits, artificial flavors, and green coloring.
Absinthe is no longer banned in the US. It is now legally available again. Lucid Absinthe, distilled by French absinthe historian and chemist Ted Breaux in 2007, was the first brand to be approved for export into the U.S. after the ban.
Absinthe is made by macerating the botanicals warmed spirit, usually based on wine. The resulting spirit is then redistilled in a copper pot still, and more herbs are added to the distillate to reinforce the flavor and impart the distinctive green color.
The green color of absinthe is unstable and becomes a light brownish color after the absinthe sits in the bottle for a while. An absinthe that stays bright green probably contains artificial coloring.
Traditionally, absinthe is enjoyed by slowly dripping cold water off a sugar cube. The slowly forming trails of cloudiness are called the ‘louche.’
Some classic absinthe cocktails include the Sazerac, La Louisiane, Death in the Afternoon, Savoy Special, Mauresque, Maurice Cocktail, Absinthe Suissesse, Absinthe Frappe, Absinthe Chrysanthemum, The Green Beast, and Billionaire Cocktail.