absinthe

Green liqueur containing 60-80% alcohol and flavoured with herbs, mainly oil of wormwood and anise; when water is added it becomes cloudy. Owing to the harmful effect that wormwood has on the nervous system, the making of absinthe is banned in many countries and substitutes without wormwood, notably anis and pastis, have taken its place.

Absinthe was made in Switzerland in the 18th century, and in 1805 the Pernod family in France set up in business to manufacture it commercially. By 1910, 20 million litres of absinthe were consumed annually, and many crimes were attributed to its effects; it was banned in Switzerland 1907, in the USA 1912, and in France after 1918.