Excellent timing on this subject .. this just came up in a discussion with a good friend.
No, I've not tried it yet (nor do I have that in my near-term plans), especially after what I've learned.
According to Tucker Max, Absinthe is "brewed from the urine of Lucifer" (from "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell"), which prompted me to do a Live Search to see how it's made.
Absinthe is a spirit (as it has no added sugar during distillation, which would make it a liqueur). It is distilled from the flowers and leaves of the Wormwood plant.
Right off the bat, that doesn't sound so good, now does it?
Some other fun facts:
- Absinthe is rumored to have psychotropic properties, although this has not been proven.
- It is illegal to buy or trade in The States.
- It is typically served over ice, with added sugar.
- It's nickname is "the green fairy", of which we had a glimpse in Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge"
van Gogh purportedly drank it to enhance his creativity. The alleged affects can certainly help explain why he "lost" an ear.
There's more. MSNBC publishes "Absinthe's Mind-Altering Mystery Solved"