Absinthe FAQ

What is absinthe?

Absinthe is a liquor made with wormwood(Artemisia absinthium). It is a deep green drink with a very bitter taste. Absinthe was very popular with 19th century intellectuals, poets and artists like Oscar Wilde and Vincent Van Gogh. Besides having a very high alcohol content (120 to 160 proof), absinthe was also said to induce a dreamlike state, enhance creativity and facilitate artistic expression.

What is the history of absinthe?

Absinthe in some form or another has been used for centuries. Ancient texts mention an early sort of absinthe, wine soaked wormwood as a vermipurge. In the middle ages, it took on many uses, including superstitious claims that absinthe warded off the plague. Modern absinthe's commercial origins date back to 1797, when Major Henri Dubied began marketing a bottled absinthe in France which eventually came to be known as today's familiar Pernod recipe. Originally a medicine, Pernod's absinthe began growing in popularity with the artists, writers and intellectuals of the day, attributing some of their finest works to absinthe's creativity-enhancing effect. However, by 1905 a strong anti-absinthe movement emerged, convinced of the danger absinthe provided through a few well-publicized incidents of violence and atrocities committed by absinthe imbibers. By 1908, Switzerland was the first to ban it, by 1923, nearly every country worldwide had an absinthe ban in place.

What is the active ingredient in absinthe?

One of the consituents of wormwood, thujone is considered the culprit of absinthe's "added effect". Naturally occouring in many plants and flowers, thujone is found in large amounts in wormwood. A-thjone has a structure very similar to THC (tetrahyrdacannaboid). This similarity has lead some to believe that the two substances work similarly upon the brain. New research indicates, however that thujone blocks GABA-A receptors in the brain which inhibit the firing of brain cells, once these receptors are blocked, the brain is free to fire at will. This is why despite the very high alcohol content, absinthe drinkers report being clear headed, even after consuming amounts of alcohol that would usually put them into a stupor. The bulk, however of absinthe's effects is caused by the very high alcohol content.

What about those websites promoting "homemade absinthe kits?"

Do-it-yourself absinthe kits are gaining popularity, being sold on websites and on ebay. Many of these revolve around the use of essential oil of wormwood or harsh solvents. These are not absinthe. These are poison. Besides being a rather unpleasant, pale impersonation of real absinthe, drinking essential oils is not a great way to get "high", but an excellent excuse to visit the emergency room. Pure essential oil of wormwood can cause renal failure and death, due to the excessive amounts of thujone, and neurotoxins found in it.

How do you serve absinthe?

There are two popular methods to doing this, both require the use of an absinthe spoon, which is a large spoon with open slots in it, allowing liquid to pass through. In a pinch, a large fork can work as well.

Method One: Louching

• Pour shot of absinthe into glass, place spoon over top and place sugar cube on spoon
• Pour cold slowly water over sugar cube, when the water hits the absinthe, it releases oils that turn the drink a milky white.
• Be sure to be sitting down..and drink!
  
  Method Two: Flame method
  
• Take a reasonably sized spoonfull of sugar, or sugar cube and briefly dunk it in your glass of absinthe.
• Light absinthe/sugar on fire and hold over glass, the burning alcohol will melt the sugar into the glass.
• When the fire gets low, stir the remaining sugar into the glass and drink

Is absinthe legal?

It really depends where you are. Currently, absinthe containing thujone for human consumption is illegal in some countries, namely Switzerland. In the United States, absinthe is not a controlled substance, but it's sale in bars and liqour stores is banned. It is however legal to posess in the United States. In most of Europe, absinthe may be sold as long as it remains under a certain amount of thujone. In Canada, absinthe is completely legal, and on sale in some liquor stores.

Is absinthe safe?

The thujone content of all commercial absinthes is low enough to cause no harm to the human body. Homemade absinthe, however can be potentially fatal. Be aware that although the thujone content of absinthe may not be harmful, it's high alcoholic content can be. As always, practice moderation when enjoying absinthe.

Do you charge my card when I order, or when you ship?

When you order, your card is verified to be working and to have enough credit available for your purchase, but is not charged. When we ship your absinthe out we charge your card for the appropriate amount.

Is your site secure for credit cards?

We go to great efforts to insure our site, and your information, is secure. In addition to using 128 bit encryption to communicate with the bank, all customer contact information is stored in an encrypted database that no unauthorized person can read.

It doesn't accept my credit card, how can I order?

I don't have a credit card, how do I order absinthe?

Many of our customer choose to order by money order or bank draft. These can easily be obtained from your local bank or post office. Immediately upon receiving your payment, your order is pushed to the front of the line and we ship your order out.

I sent a money order, how will I know you recieved it?

When sending a money order or bank draft in to us, we always suggest you either send it priority courier or by registered mail. In this way you are able to know that we received it, and are able to track it if lost.

If I pay by money order, how will I know how much to pay for shipping?

Very simply, enter your information into the site as if you were going to place an order, and click through to the next page. Before it asks you for your credit card, it will display the total price with shipping. Simply print this out, exit the online order ans mail this piece of paper in with your payment.

How is my absinthe shipped?

All absinthe is packaged in plain bags or boxes, via Registered Post for all orders.

How long does it take you to ship?

It normally takes between 2-7 business days to process an order .

Does shipping cost extra?

Shipping is additional to the price of our items and is usually quite reasonable. As shipping is a cost that every online business incurs, it is something that must be charged in one way or another. Rather than increasing the price of our products 2 or 3 times, and giving the illusion of free shipping, we offer our products and shipping at the lowest price on the market.

If I order multiple products, is the shipping extra?

Very little. After the base shipping rate for one item, there is very little charge from the shipping company to increase the weight or size. For this reason it is better to conduct a large order of many items, rather than buying multiple times with a small order.

How long does it take to recieve an order?