Absinthe is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from wormwood, anise, fennel, and other herbs. Absinthe is a very strong alcoholic beverage that is usually diluted before drinking. It is purported to be highly addictive and to have psychoactive properties, commonly believed to be caused by the thujone content, from the wormwood, although it only contains trace amounts. Absinthe was banned in the US and parts of Europe due to its (arguably undeserved) reputation but has enjoyed a revival since the 1990s when the European Union adopted new food and beverage laws.
Absinthe was something of a cultural phenomenon in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the greatest artists and mystics of the time were known absinthe drinkers including Aleister Crowley.
