Absinthe??!
Absinthe??
how do you pronounce absinthe? and is it the most lethal drink?
Answers: This answer has been chosen as best answer a few times so I'll post it again. Should answer your question and give a little more info as well.
Is Absinthe Dangerous?
Absinthe is highly alcoholic and should be enjoyed sensibly as with any other liquor. Historically it had a reputation for being dangerous, mainly due to cheap absinthes made with poor quality Alcohol . Modern production techniques mean that it is no longer dangerous. I'd be VERY wary of any kind of home made absinthe though.
If you want REAL absinthe, check out eabsinthe.com
I've ordered from them before and it's a quality site with fast shipping. Always get it within a few days, from the UK to Wisconsin! Never a problem.
I like the Reality (Czech)-just right-nice herbal flavor
I've tried the Versinthe La Blanche (French)-thought anise(licorice) was too strong-and the Abisinthe Amer (French)-alcohol a little overpowering. High wormwood content is what you're looking for. Alcohol level can be anywhere between 80-160 proof. If you want high alcohol content, just mix up some Bacardi 151 and coke. You mix absinthe with water, and a high alcohol content wont make for a smooth drink. Your pretty much drinking watered down shots. And even with water, it's hard to make 160 proof smooth.
As far as hallucinating and it being illegal......more of a novelty thing really. You're not going to see anything that isnt there. But a noticeable extra tingle with your buzz. They say it "makes the heart grow fonder". Fun with that special someone if you know what I mean. If you actually hallucinated from this, you wouldn't be able to get near this stuff. It is illegal to SELL absinthe but not so much to possess it. Absinthe recently became legal in the Canadian province of British Columbia. In the US, thujone is still banned, but as a food rather than a drug. You aren't allowed to distill or commercially make absinthe, but you can legally own a bottle and even make your own as long as it isn't distilled.
As far as spelling...
Why is absinthe sometimes spelt without an 'e'?
This is quite simply a language difference. Although 'absinthe' is the generic spelling as coined by the Swiss and French, who were the original absinthe producing nations, you will find that around the world there are many different spellings for the word absinthe. In the Czech Republic 'e' is dropped, and thus, absinth. The Spanish say absenta and the Italians say assenzio, but they all mean absinthe.
It is worth noting that the spelling absinth (without an 'e') usually denotes that the brand comes from Eastern Europe and is likely to be Czech style', which means that it is unlikely to louche (turn cloudy) when water is added, due to the little to no anise used compared to the traditional Swiss/French style. Ab (like abdominal) and synthe (like synthetic).
I don't think it is the most lethal drink, unless it is made poorly and has contaminants like methanol. It's pronounced ab-sinth with emphasis on the first syllable.
It's no more lethal than 151...never was. All the stories and hype like it being hallucinogenic, convulsive, making you crazy...all of it is just BS.