Firstly, you should make sure that you are buying 'real absinthe' that is a product distilled from plant materials which will include wormwood, anise and fennel, plus other herbs such as lemon balm, mint, hyssop and coriander. Secondly, one of the flavors that features to a greater or lesser extent is aniseed, some people just don't like this and if you are one of them you'd find it hard to like absinthe. Thirdly, and importantly, you should always dilute absinthe with chilled water, between 3 and 5 parts water to 1 part absinthe is recommended, that is how it is intended to be drunk, never neat! When you add water, the absinthe will go cloudy (the louche) due to the essential oils found in the plants becoming insoluble as the alcohol is diluted.

Absinthe is usually drunk as an aperitif, but there are no rules as to when you can drink it. Absinthe does not cause hallucinations and will not make you see things that aren't there. There is some evidence that the chemical compounds (terpenes) found in most of the plants used to make absinthe (and particularly in the wormwood) can produce a more lucid state than would normally be encountered by just imbibing alcohol.

So, to summarize; don't spend a lot of money on absinthe if you know you don't like aniseed flavored drinks. Do make sure you have bought the genuine product (the sites below will help) and don't expect profound mental changes!

Ian Hutton

Director

Liqueurs de France