Dr Pierre Ordiniare, a Frenchman, is often credited for creating our modern day Absinthe. His work on the drink began after having moved to Switzerland. Dr Ordiniare began experimenting with the bountiful herbs in the village where he lived and in 1792, his blend of wormwood and other native herbs was patented as a medicine. It would however quickly gain popularity more as a liquor for its tart flavour and unique effects. The Green Fairy had arrived.

Throughout the 19th century, Absinthe would gain in popularity in France and other countries. By the 1850's, the bohemian culture of France would have embraced absinthe completely, so much so that absinthe would forever be associated with the famous artists of that time.

Among the Green Fairy's many admirers were Oscar Wilde (the famous writer and poet whose wild lifestyle scandalized Victorian society), Vincent van Gogh (who many say cut his ear off from drinking too much of this wormwood filled drink), Edgar Degas (whose picture, L'Absinthe is the foremost image depicting the Green Fairy's lifestyle) and Ernest Hemingway (who somehow still found his Absinthe even after it was made illegal).

Lauded for its special properties and taste, Absinthe would continue to thrill the world for many years. French soldiers returning from the war would bring their taste for the Green Fairy back, fueling the demand and many distilleries would grow to serve the ever growing demand.

The Banning of Absinthe

Many theories have been advanced on the reason for the ban of the Green Fairy. Among the foremost theories was its purported ability to make individuals insane. To prove the detrimental effects of Absinthe, large amounts of oil of wormwood was injected into mice. These amounts were up to 50 times the maximum concentration found in commercial Absinthe at that time. The resulting fits and deaths of the mice along with the propensity of early death and ill health of absinthe drinkers were all attributed to the unhealthy nature of womrwood found in the drink. Much of the information used to ban absinthe is now highly suspect and of little relevance to the modern absinthe drinks. This information ranges from unrealistic scientific studies of the effects of wormwood to a tendency to focus on specific facts while excluding others (such as Absinthe having been the cheapest method for much of the poor working class to consume) and additional heavy metal and other highly unhealthy ingredients added to drinks manufactured during that time period.

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In 1915, France banned Absinthe and any wormwood containing products. The US had preceeeded France in banning the Green Fairy by 3 years; a short while after Switzerland made Absinthe illegal. To this day, the ban on production and sale of Absinthe holds in the US.

No discussion of Absinthe's history can be complete without discussing the most famous Absinthe drink in the world, Pernod. Considered the cream of the crop, the original Pernod Absinthe brand was sought after by connoisseurs of the drink the world over. However, following the ban of Absinthe in France, production of the popular Pernod brand was stopped. Pernod would resurface in France later in the century but without wormwood in it. Modern day Pernod drinks are not Absinthe, instead being a pastis with a strong anis flavour without the wormwood content.

Absinthe in the Modern World

While many countries banned Absinthe, others never did. In Canada, Spain and the Czech Republic, the Green Fairy remained legal. These countries were among the few that resisted the tide of prohibition and many of the traditional absinthe recipes would eventually make their way there.

Popularity of Absinthe really began to take off in the 1990's when the Czech Republic was opened to tourism. The Green Fairy was still a popular drink in the Czech Republic and many tourists would have their first experience with the drink on their visits to this country.

By the mid-90's, Absinthe had become a regular fixture in many bars in the UK. Absinthe's slow journey back into popular culture was nearly complete. Movies like the Moulin Rouge and From Hell would solidify absinthe place in history in the 19th century. More recent college comedies like Euro Trip would showcase the Green Fairy's emerging popularity among college students. It would be these and other popular mainstream movies that would move knowledge of the drink into the mainstream.

Today, Absinthe has gained many modern day admirers. Among the most famous modern absinthe admirers are Johnny Depp, Marilyn Manson and Eminem.

So, ready to try your first drink of Absinthe? Check out the original Absinthe recipe in the King of Spirits GOLD