National Absinthe Day Date in the current year: March 5, 2024

Absinthe is a spirit flavored with a number of medicinal and culinary herbs, including wormwood, anise, fennel, angelica, coriander, licorice, lemon balm, peppermint, and other plants. The main distinguishing features of absinthe are its high alcohol content (typically around 70% ABV) and bright green color, although there exist differently colored variations of the drink.

The exact origin of absinthe is unclear because wormwood extracts and infusions have been used as remedies for centuries. The first evidence of a distilled spirit containing wormwood, anise and fennel dates back to the 18th century. It is believed that absinthe originated as an all-purpose elixir created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire from Couvet, Switzerland.

The first absinthe distillery where absinthe was produced as a liquor rather than a remedy was opened in Couvet in 1797. During the 19th century, absinthe became an extremely popular drink in Switzerland and France. The most special thing about it was that absinthe was popular among people of all social classes, from workers to wealthy bourgeoisie. The drink was especially favored by Parisian writers and artists, many of whom considered “the Green Fairy” their muse.

However, by the end of the century absinthe became associated with social disorder and violent crimes. It was thought that thujone (an aromatic compound contained in wormwood essential oil) was extremely toxic and caused hallucinations. Interestingly, modern studies have shown that the psychoactive properties of absinthe have been greatly exaggerated and can be mostly attributed to its high alcohol content.

On August 28, 1905, Jean Lanfray, a French laborer from Switzerland, murdered his pregnant wife and two children in a drunken range. Although he had drunk wine and various hard liquors that day, it was believed that the influence of absinthe was solely to blame for his murders. As a result, absinthe was banned in Switzerland in 1910.

Other countries that banned the sale and distribution of “the Green Fairy” were Belgium and Brazil in 1906, the Netherlands in 1909, the United States in 1912, and France in 1914. In most countries that did not ban absinthe, its popularity began to decline.

The revival of absinthe began in the 1990, when the Czech brand Hill’s began to export his absinthe to the United Kingdom. Although absinthe isn’t quite as universally loved as it used to be in the 19th century, its newfound popularity isn’t insignificant either.

How does one drink absinthe? It is most commonly served the following way. A measure of absinthe is poured into a glass. A slotted spoon with a sugar cube on top is placed on the glass. Iced water is dripped or poured over the sugar into absinthe. Sometimes the absinthe-soaked sugar cube is lit on fire. Absinthe is also a popular cocktail ingredient.