Is there a LEGAL way for one of you Brits

C

Cleveland

New Member
to send me a bottle of Absinthe? I'm in the US. It's banned here.... Funny thing is, POSSESSION isn’t illegal; it’s illegal to import it. :confuse2: :coffee:
 
i don't know, what are your import laws like? if i send it to you are you importing it?

absinthe is really overated. if you are that desperate to get faced then i recommend pure polish spirit. 80% and should be legal in the states. gets you smashed in seconds! :D

if you do get hold of a bottle then i think i can still remember how to drink absinthe, flames and all :)
 
I'm not looking for it to get smashed. It's just one of the things in life I would like to experience.

BTW, I had no idea there were different kinds.... let alone so MANY KINDS.

http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/guide.html

I dont know if they would see that as importing or not.. Who could I ask, without raising suspicion? :p
 
It tastes like shit dude... not worth it, IMO, although the novelty of the spoon-of-sugar thing is quite cool if you are into burning stuff. :)

Don't get it from the UK... we get low-alcohol EU-regulated crap (<50% and no mind-altering chemicals). The real stuff is from the continent.
 
in best balckadder style

it's a drink made from finest greeeeeen D

according to cleveland's link [history section], it's a strong alcoholic drink [typically around 68%] made from wormwood. reknowned in europe for being dangerous, it was banned in many countries in the early 20th century.
 
ab·sinthe also ab·sinth Pronunciation Key (bsnth)
n.
1. A perennial aromatic European herb (Artemisia absinthium), naturalized in eastern North America and having pinnatifid, silvery silky leaves and numerous nodding flower heads. Also called common wormwood.
2. A green liqueur having a bitter anise or licorice flavor and a high alcohol content, prepared from absinthe and other herbs, and now prohibited in many countries because of its toxicity.

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Why would someone want to drink something that is toxic? (beyond the toxicity of alcohol itself)? I say go to Nevada or Mexico, whatever is closest, and get some Everclear or otherwise pure grain alcohol if you want a potent drink. If you want European I think their beers and wines would be much better. But then I know how it is to want an experience just to have it.
 
Guys, thanks for the replys. I think I can order it from my link. Though $100 a litre seems expensive (for the Czech stuff, and sipper). But, oh well.

BTW, i love jegermiester (sp?) so I thought Id like Absinth.
 
One of my friends brought back home made Pilinka (Romanian vodka). Can anyone say "Paint stripper"... *puke*

I remember another friend from Edinburgh where his local pub had proper absinthe and they limited it to two shots per evening per person :eek:
 
An old friend said he used to get Jagermeister with deer's blood in it. He said that all Jager used to have it and they banned it in the U.S. but if you know where to go and have the cash, you can get it in quite a few places in NY.

I used to drink Jager a lot, but never with the blood. It would be a novelty but I don't think I'd like it. :sick:
 
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)


Parts used and where grown: The wormwood shrub grows wild in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. It is now cultivated in North America as well. The leaves and flowers, and the oil obtained from them, are used as medicine.

Wormwood has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):

Indigestion

Gallbladder inflammation

Irritable bowel syndrome

Parasites

Poor appetite


Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies): Wormwood is perhaps best known because of the use of its oil to prepare certain alcoholic beverages, most notably vermouth and absinthe. Absinthe, popular in the nineteenth century in Europe, caused several cases of brain damage and even death and was banned in most places in the early twentieth century. Wormwood oil continues to be used as a flavoring agent for foods, although in much smaller amounts than were found in absinthe.

As a medicine, wormwood was traditionally used as a bitter to improve digestion, to fight worm infestations, and to stimulate menstruation. Clinical studies are lacking to support these uses. It was also regarded as a useful remedy for problems involving the liver and gallbladder.

Active constituents: The aromatic oil of wormwood contains the toxins thujone and isothujone. Very little of this oil is present in ordinary wormwood teas or tinctures. Although the oil destroys various types of worms, it may cause damage to the human nervous system. Also present in the plant are strong bitter agents known as absinthin and anabsinthin. These stimulate digestive function, including gall bladder function.

How much is usually taken? A wormwood tea can be made by adding 1/2 to 1 U.S. teaspoon (2.5 to 5 grams) of the herb to 250 ml (1 cup) of boiling water, allowing it to steep for ten to fifteen minutes. Many doctors recommend drinking three cups each day. Tincture can be used, in the amount of 10–20 drops in water, taken ten to fifteen minutes before each meal. Either preparation should not be used for more than four weeks consecutively.

Are there any side effects or interactions? Long-term (over four weeks) intake of the thujone-containing oil or alcoholic beverages (absinthe) made with the oil is strictly contraindicated—it is addictive and may cause brain damage, seizures, and even death. Short-term (two to four weeks) use of the wormwood tea or tincture has not resulted in any reports of significant side effects. Nevertheless, consult with a healthcare professional knowledgeable in herbal medicine before taking wormwood. Longer-term (over four weeks) use or intake of amounts higher than those recommended can cause nausea, vomiting, insomnia, restlessness, vertigo, tremors, and seizures. However, one study found there were no side effects when using less than 1 ml tincture three times per day for as long as nine months to promote digestive function. Wormwood is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with wormwood.

source:http://www.herbalteas.org.uk/
Click to expand...

Decide for yourself whether the risk is worth it...
 
absinthe has a nice history to it. a favourite tipple of the parisian art crowd off in the past. oscar wilde was a well known admirer of "la fee verte" (or the green fairy)

(i heard the green fairy was in moulain rouge, but i never saw the film)

it was originally banned because it was being blamed for french farmers rioting and generally causing trouble, much in the same way that cocaine was banned because of the fear of slave uprisings. before either was banned they were seen as generally good and beneficial for health.

absinthe was known as an artistic kind of drink, supposedly mr wilde was even more lucid and creative with his storytelling after a few rounds. painters, poets, that sort of thing, they were all into it.

but, looking at the ingredients and proportions it's almost certainly the alcohol content which makes it do what it does. the thujone, while there and romantically a hallucinogenic, really isn't there in enough quantity for any psycoactive effects.

a good absinthe is green coloured, and turns a milky white with water added (that's called the "louche")

the traditional way to drink the stuff is to put sugar in a small spoon (there's special absinthe spoons for doing this) and hold a flame underneath the spoon until the sugar melts. the sugar goes into the absinthe glass and sets it on file, then water is added to put out the fire. the sugar is mainly to sweeten it.

it's definately an experience seeing it prepared properly, i had it done for me in a small after hours club in london's chinatown once.

the kick, apparently, is no more than you'd expect off similar strength vodka. gin is probably the closest standard spirit, as the manufacture process is somewhat similar with herbs playing an important part in the flavouring.

there's many different recipies for absinthe, including a bunch of them floating around on the net for DIY concoctions. don't bother trying at home, it just won't work out. the best are apparently the ones closest to pernod's original recipie, but there's a lot of variety. the worst is generally considered to be hills, which is what they normally have in UK bars and which restarted the absinthe craze.

absinthe certainly has a romantic image. it always makes me think of parisian poets and storytellers sitting in the back room of a smoke-filled bar entertaining each other with cleverly-crafted tales. i've got a book called "table talk" which is a collection of some of oscar wilde's narratives, and la fee verte is mentioned a few times in there.

from what i can work out, the best place to go on an absinthe adventure is spain. they seem to have the greatest variety of brands and don't seem to have much tax on alcohol. the swiss and french also have good reputations as absinthe makers.

something to try one, i feel, but as a novely. the few times i've partaken it's not done anything amazing for me.
 
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