Absinthe has often received an unfairly bad rap throughout its long history. Its association with all sorts of illegal acts from drunkenness to murder has unfortunately given the green spirit an unfavorable image; yet its flavorful qualities merit inclusion in your liquor cabinet.
Absinthe and Prohibition At the turn of the 19th century, absinthe was an immensely popular beverage in Europe. It served as inspiration to artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde as well as bohemian creatives in general; many members of the upper class also enjoyed it regularly despite no proven medical benefits being associated with absinthe. Unfortunately temperance groups and other organizations began denigrating absinthe at this point in history, leading them to initiate prohibition measures against it.
Absinthe producers responded to this negative perception by artificially coloring their drinks – this served to demonstrate that their product was real absinthe and not some cheap imitation; this method proved controversial, however, since its true flavor would be lost.
Despite prohibition, absinthe was still produced in many European countries including France, Switzerland, the UK, Czech Republic and Austria. Smuggling of absinthe was an enormous problem for federal law enforcement at that time due to its liquid form being easier for criminals to conceal than powdered herbs or dried leaves; these criminals would frequently use this opportunity to escape legal troubles by dodging capture or leaving without being caught altogether.