Let’s start with a few things that absinthe is not. Absinthe is not hallucinogenic. Absinthe won’t make you go crazy. Absinthe isn’t illegal. If you’re like most people, those three statements have ...

While old wives tales of absinthe's hallucinogenic effects have likely been greatly exaggerated over the years (the compound responsible for these supposed effects, thujone has been found to be ...

Mardi Gras is not about partying. I mean it definitely is, but it’s about more than that. Mardi Gras is about exuberance. Obviously, it’s a drinking holiday, but you shouldn’t just drink anything; ...

Cocktail Queries is a Paste series that examines and answers basic, common questions that drinkers may have about mixed drinks, cocktails and spirits. Check out every entry in the series to date.

I’ve been on an absinthe kick at work lately. I’ve been trying to get my coworkers on the bandwagon, but they keep wrinkling their nose at the black licorice aroma that I find so alluring. All the ...

Absinthe’s history mirrors the way it’s meant to be prepared: a mix of the misunderstood and the legitimately unusual. For most of its existence, the spirit has been slandered, ostracized and, in ...

When it comes to alcohol shrouded in mystery, it’s pretty tough to top absinthe. This wormwood and anise-flavored herbal spirit was illegal in the US from 1912 until 2007, when it was legalized with ...

Absinthe – that high-proof spirit with the mysterious lore and liquorice taste people either love or detest. It’s gotten easier to love, though, with distillers making high-quality versions ever since ...