[Dan]

Well, the latest from the Raven has some talk about the mysterious Absinthe. I have a couple of bottles in my own cabinet, both from France. In Canada you can buy Absinthe legally.

Anyone have some of their own Absinthe stories to share? Or alternatively, would you like to comment on the Raven's monthly column? Feedback, comments or questions are welcome.

Cheers,

Dan

[Paul25]

The harmful ingredient in absinthe is wormwood and yes large quantities can cause brain damage.
Although the sale of absinthe is still banned in France it is produced for export and has recently become much more readily available but with a greatly reduced wormwood content. the alcohol will now get you first!

[The Raven]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Paul is right, the alcohol will now get you long before the other chemicals will. Through history, it is true that Absinthe was used by many great artists and thinkers. It is also probably true that it was the inspiration for most of the works that came out of France while it was still legal. The scary part is that it is definitely true that it ruined countless lives on its way to stardom. Drink the new stuff and you should be alright. Be careful of anyone offering you homemade stuff; full strength Absinthe is as dangerous and addictive as poorly made street drugs, and if they made it at home, it's probably got much more than just a little extra wormwood.

Scotch lovers should definitely check out next month's article. I've got some really exciting news!