Return of the Green Fairy
The French Senate recently voted to allow the name to be used once again, which means that producers will be able to make use of the term ‘Absinthe’ – which traditionally can have an ABV of up to 75 per cent – for the first time since 1915, rather than the more unwieldy ‘spirit infused with absinthe plants’ reference they’ve been using of late.
Absinthe was commonly known as ‘Green Fairy’ and was originally banned in France over fears for its hallucinogenic properties which derived from use of the wormwood plant containing the hallucinogen Thujone.
This made the drink popular in Paris among libertines including such artists as Baudelaire, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde and more recently, Aleister Crowley.
It was eventually banned in the US and most European countries.
‘Green Fairy’ or Absinthe was eventually banned in the US and most European countries although it can still be obtained relatively easily.
