Legal absinthe on the way

A legal brand of absinthe is soon to hit the United States market. Called Lucid, the drink skirts regulatory issues with thujone - viewed as a toxic ingredient by the feds, but also traditionally considered a necessary ingredient for flavor and buzz - by digging into history and simply coming to an alternate conclusion:

Mr. Gurfein asked Mr. Breaux whether he could produce an absinthe that would pass regulatory muster with American authorities — meaning that it would not contain thujone. Mr. Breaux said that would be fairly easy, given his belief that, contrary to popular opinion, 19th century absinthes contained relatively little thujone to begin with — less than 5 parts per million, according to his tests, rather than much higher estimates that have been bandied about.

Still, Mr. Breaux knew that removing thujone entirely might harm the taste. “I had to get a handle on the whole thujone issue without compromising the character and the flavor of the drink,” he said. To accomplish this, Mr. Breaux blended the grand wormwood with green anise and sweet fennel from Europe, instead of using more-affordable imports from East Asia. Using herbs from Europe, absinthe’s native continent, he said, gives the drink an earthier essence.

At nearly $60 a bottle, this isn't going to appeal to everyone. But the reviewer for the NYTimes managed to spark my interest, noting:

I sampled the 124-proof liqueur last week, while watching the National Basketball Association playoffs. When diluted with water and a pinch of sugar, the absinthe’s taste is strong and pleasant. And the buzz has an odd way of focusing the mind — I’ve rarely been so entranced by the swish of a basketball net.

That sounds like an accurate description of a classic absinthe high to me. As the kids say, "sign my stupid ass up!"