Absinthe first emerged in Switzerland and France in the late 18th century as an alcoholic beverage made from botanical ingredients like wormswood, anise, fennel, and mint. Thought to have medicinal properties, it grew enormously popular among French artists and intellectuals in the late 19th century.
Absinthe parlors, nicknamed "absintheries," opened across France and were frequented by Bohemians, poets, and painters who attributed their creative output to the hallucinogenic effects of the drink. By the mid-1800s, absinthe had become the most popular alcoholic beverage in France and had spread throughout Europe. Production expanded to other countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
Global Absinthe: Rise and Fall in France
Absinthe's heyday in France lasted until the early 20th century. Absinthe was partly due to exaggerations about its supposed psychoactive properties from wormwood extract. Rumors circulated that it could induce criminal behavior and mental instability in those who consumed it regularly.
Moral campaigners and temperance movements blamed it for social ills. Absinthe later became associated with the bohemian culture and was vilified as a dangerous drug. In 1905, absinthe was banned in France and other countries followed suit over the next decade due to pressure from the temperance movement. This helped spark the global decline of absinthe production and consumption for much of the 20th century.
Global Absinthe: Modern Revival and Production Abroad
Interest in absinthe saw a resurgence beginning in the 1980s as vintage absinthe recipes were rediscovered. This sparked a reexamination of its alleged harmful effects. After extensive scientific review, the EU lifted the absinthe ban across Europe in 1988. Production slowly resumed in certain countries. In the Czech Republic, small distilleries resumed traditional absinthe-making techniques passed down for generations. Some US states legalized its production and sale before the nationwide repeal. Today Absinthe production extends well beyond Europe. Countries like Australia, Brazil, and South Africa have embraced absinthe and developed their own distinctive styles.
Present-day absinthe varies widely depending on production methods and regional styles that have evolved internationally in recent decades. In the Czech Republic and Switzerland, absinthes are often lighter and clearer due to refinement processes that remove much of the oils from green herbs. They tend to have a more delicate flavor profile compared to French and Spanish styles. Absinthes from France have tended to follow historic Pernod Fils or Henri-Maire recipes and use a higher percentage of wormwood.
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