Blog of Sin

That’s right, kids.  I got me some Absinthe from the Czechs; it’s time to par-taayyy.

Many people who know me know that I don’t drink.  I mean I do, but I don’t do it often.  I’m not really a social drinker, just an experimental drinker.  When bad times befall me, I don’t turn to the bottle.  It’s just not my thing.

But here lies adventure.

Artists, literary giants… hell, a whole continent was swept up with this stuff in the late 1800s to early 1900s.  Alcohol, herbs and wormwood creating a powerful (possibly hallucinogenic) effect when heavily imbibed.  But I’m told the effect is like clarity, an other-worldly sense, which I’m eager to experience.

With its popularity came profit-driven sales, then quality decreased to the point of public harm.  The poor bought the wood alcohol versions of this popular liquor.  Dementia and death ensued, and the libation known as Absinthe was banned almost everywhere.

The harm wasn’t in the drink itself, it was the substandard ingredients used to sell more of it.  Never trust a politician.

Now, luckily, it’s reemerging.  It’s been seen in movies (which is probably where I first heard about it) such as Alfie and EuroTrip (Michelle Trachtenberg is unseasonably hot). It’s ugly green head is not so ugly anymore, and I’m going to find out how naughty or nice it is.  Just call me Santa Flaws.  I’m willing to experiment on myself.

Okay, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  I purchased two bottles of Absinthe, two glasses and two spoons from OriginalAbsinthe.com on October 27, 2006.  Twelve days later (November 8, 2006), I found it lying on my doorstep after the mailman left it there.  For me, this is good, because the mailman won’t wait for me to get to the door (I’m usually at the other end of the house) and if I had to wait to sign for it, then I’d probably have to go to the post office and get it.  So, I’m happy camper.

I hear it sloshing around in the glass bottles and pray to bacchus nothing’s broken.  I get out the trust swiss army knife knock-off and dig in.

It’s well packed.  The box is sealed well, and when I open it, the contents are all heavily bubble-wrapped.  Score!  One by one I open the contents.  The first bubble-wrapped glass… good.  Second bubble-wrapped glass… good. *sigh of relief*  Now on to the bottles.  Cut, slash, unwrap… perfect.  Second bottle, just the same.  Spoons in the box?  Check… or Czech, if I’m being cheeky.  It’s all there, it’s all good.

I bust out the camera.  You can see one of the many pictures above.

So there you have it.  It wasn’t cheap, and I had that typical worry of buying something from eastern Europe (it’s actually sold through a UK company, but it’s a Czech Republic product), but it’s turned out well.  I expect it to be an experience I could only have by shelling out the cash.

Wish me luck.  If I survive, I’ll tell you all about it.  I’ll try to get pics, too.

Update 20061113: I tried a little of the absinthe tonight, maybe a half ounce, straight, without anything added. I wanted to see what it was like without anything added, so I could get the real taste of the drink. It’s very strong, 140 Proof (70% Alcohol), so I let it breathe a little in the glass so the alcohol could dissipate a bit. Smooooooth. It’s actually quite tasty, though. Somewhat fruity and floral, tastes of orange, corriander, sage, cinnamon, and other things I simply can’t discern. Overall, it was very pleasant. I only had a little bit, but it was enlightening. Thumbs up for absinthe!