The green lady decoded

Not a lot of people in India experiment with absinthe. It doesn’t help that there is an air of mystery surrounding the drink. Perhaps, it is because it first gained popularity among the Bohemian intellectuals of the 19th Century; or because it is touted to be the strongest alcoholic beverage around; or perhaps since it is rumoured to have hallucinogenic properties. The emerald concoction, popularly nicknamed The Green Lady, has been the origin of many a myth over the centuries.

For those who thought that the drink is a forbidden pleasure and that the drink is illegal in India, let me tell you that the drink is perfectly legal. The legendary hallucinogenic effect of absinthe, which made it a popular among the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemmingway, is also a myth which dates back to the 19th Century.

Since absinthe was popular at the time, some producers of the drink used non-portable industrial-grade alcohol and flavoured the drink with oil extracts, as inferred by absinthe expert and scientist Ted Breaux. With both being clear, the clouding and colouring effects were created using antimony trichloride and copper sulphate. This was a toxic mixture. So, when consumed on a regular basis, it is possible that this toxic mixture caused hallucinations through poisoning. Of course, if you go on a binge, you may just take leave of your senses, but then, that’s just due to the high content of alcohol.

Perversely, it is also falsely believed that this hallucinogenic property of the drink is what caused it to be banned in most countries in the West. What caused the drink to be banned, was in fact, its immense popularity. As the most popular alcoholic beverage in France, it became the target of the temperance movement — a social movement against alcohol consumption. Producers of other spirits, fearing for the loss of market for their products, also began lobbying against it. So, really, it was societal pressures and not the drink itself that caused it to be banned.

Another folk tale that often surrounds the serving of the drink is that it should be served with a lump of sugar lit on fire. This is not only dangerous, but also ruins the delicate flavours of an authentic glass of absinthe. And while some people flock to Eastern Europe for a taste of the Green Lady, as they believe that’s where it originated, its root really lies in Switzerland, where it was produced at the turn of the 19th Century.

So, before you absinthe enthusiasts try to get your own bottle of the forbidden brew, take some time out to know its intricacies. If anything, it’ll help you appreciate the drink even more.

Luna is a mixologist