Absinthe FAQ

Absinthe shop for Absinthe liquors and collectibles

Absinthe Q&A.

Is Absinthe a drug ?

One of the main herbs in legitimate Absinthe is wormwood and its derivative essence thujone. Thujone is classified as a convulsant poison, NOT a drug, having a similar structure as T.H.C., the active chemical in cannabis. Both thujone and T.H.C. are terpenoids and have a similar molecular geometry and similar functional groups available for metabolism. Despite the fact that thujone is classified as a convulsant poison, many doctors and scientists consider thujone to be a powerful drug, and psychoactive in relatively low dosages. However, little is known about whether or not it causes cumulative damage to the nervous system.

Are there any other psychoactive elements present in Absinthe ?

Anise is another one of the main herbs used in making legitimate Absinthe. It is not toxic, however a strong dose induces drunkenness, trembling, epileptic convulsions, muscle spasms, analgesia and sleep, just like opium.
Will I hallucinate ?

Fennel, as has anise seed, fennel seed has a potentially psychoactive anethole.
Hyssop, in progressive doses, is believed to have a convulsive property.
Angelica root is grown as a drug in Lapland.
Coriander is mentioned as an aphrodisiac in the Arabic One Thousand and One Nights, and is said, in the same text, to conjure up the Devil when used in combination with fennel.
Calamis contains psychoactive asarones, used as an inebriant by Native Americans.
So we are left wondering if Absinthe, or rather wormwood and its essence thujone in Absinthe, is to blame for its effects.

Why was Absinthe associated with the House of Pernod & Sons ?

Simply because of the superior quality of their product.

What was the main contribution to the quality of their product ?

The House of Pernod & Sons were never tempted to buy cheap raw materials of lower quality. Pernod Fils Absinthe was never made from cheap alcohols from beets, grains, or potatoes.Instead, it was made from spirits distilled from wine, which formed the basis of their absinthe. Furthermore, the exclusive use of alcohol made by distilling wine was reflected in its flavour, which distinguished Pernod Fils from other brands. Moreover, it was considered to be a healthy drink because spirits distilled from wine don't have the nasty side-effects of poor quality alcohols.

Were there any other contributions to the quality ?

Equally important to the success of the brand as the exclusive use of spirits distilled from wine were the manufacturing processes. The House of Pernod & Sons used the most advanced distilling equipment of the day. Distillation and coloring were done by using double boilers heated by steam, capable of producing some 20,000 litres of absinthe a day in Pernod´s 26 large cooper stills and 22 colorators.

Why was legitimate absinthe made from WINE ?

The unhealthy effects of bad alcohols are well known, especially the amyl essences contained in all potato, grain, and beet alcohols, which are absent in spirits distilled from wine. When absinthe is prepared from spirits distilled from wine and maceration of plants in the alcohol followed by a methodical distillation, the product obtained is healthy and tonic. However, its abuse can become a problem, because it contains a great deal of alcohol.

What damage can bad alcohol cause ?

Poor quality alcohols contain, in addition to pure ethanol, butylic alcohol, methyl alcohol and pentanols, amongst other things. Pure ethanol, with a boiling point of 79°C, evaporates from the lungs almost immediately, while amyl alcohol, for instance, with a boiling point of 140°C, almost never evaporates at human body temperature. Instead, it accumulates in the body.These essences which are difficult to get rid of are NOT present in spirits distilled from wine. So the unhealthy effects of bad alcohols explain why Pernod Fils was made from spirits distilled from wine .

Is Logan Fils made from wine and distilled from real herbs particularly wormwood ?

Logan Fils is the only absinthe made from WINE on the market today and probably the strongest as far as the portion of wormwood and other essences is concerned. And real herbs are used to obtain the desired colour. Unlike most commercial brands, no artificial essences or colorants are used.

Can Logan Fils be commercially sold ?

Absinthe is sold in most European countries provided it meets the 10mg of thujone per litre legal limit. Since the essences of wormwood in Logan Fils are in the same proportions as in genuine absinthes from the 19th century, it exceeds this limit by far and therefore can NOT be sold commercially in those countries.

Is Logan Fils sweet ?

Unlike other commercially sold brands, Logan Fils is a distilled wormwood liquor rather than an anise one. And as a result it is just slightly but not unpleasantly bitter due to its high amount of wormwood essences. And this is why we recommend to drink Logan Fils the old, traditional way.

But some Absinthes sold today are very bitter and alcoholic.
Are they stronger than Logan Fils ?

No, they are´t. They contain less than 10mg of thujone a litre, which can be achieved by soaking the herbs in alcohol.And this is why some absinthes are very bitter and in most Absinthes made today, a wormwood plant was replaced with a wormwood oil to reduce bitterness.

Why are there Absinthes today sold for around $60 or so per litre while Logan Fils costs so much ?

The majority of the stuff sold for around $60 is NOT distilled, contains only around 10mg of thujone, is made from grain alcohol with its unhealthy side-effects, is, in most cases, artificially colored, and wormwood oil is added at the end. Slightly more expensive versions for around $100 are likely to be distilled, but again grain alcohol is used instead of spirits distilled from wine, and if commercially sold, contain around 10mg of thujone as well.

Is Logan Fils made from wine ? And is it distilled from real herbs, particularly wormwood ?

Logan Fils is the only absinthe on the market today made from WINE, and probably the strongest as far as the proportions of wormwood and other essences are concerned. What's more, real herbs are used to obtain the desired colour. Unlike most commercial brands, no artificial essences or colorants are used.

It sounds great ! So will it make me hallucinate ?

Not after one shot!
Remember, all those poets were not just occasional drinkers ! Vincent Van Gogh drank enormous amounts of Absinthe, and as a result his paintings were characterized by intense yellow hues and halo effects, such as in his still life of an Absinthe glass and water decanter painted in 1886.

So how will I feel after drinking Logan Fils Absinthe made the old way?

Logan Fils absinthe made the old way has all the essences in the same proportions as in old original absinthe, including particularly Grand Wormwood, Genepl, Petite Wormwood, Anise, Fennel and others. These essences together with wine spirit have quite a significant effect on the body, in that you can drink much more of the stuff than other strong spirits and it does not make you feel drunk but ...
As Oscar Wilde once described :
"The first stage is like ordinary drinking, the second when you begin to see monstrous and cruel things, but if you can persevere you will enter in upon the third stage where you see things that you want to see, wonderful curious things."
And this is what probably made famous artists what they were.

What is it like to see, wonderful curious things, according to Oscar Wilde ?

This stage was recorded in My Three Inns by John Fotherhill.
"One night I was left sitting, drinking alone, and very late in the Café Royal, and I had just got into the third stage when a waiter came in with a green apron began to pile the chairs on the tables.
'Time to go, sir,' he called to me. Then he brought in a watering can and began to water the floor.'Time´s up, sir. I am afraid you must go now,sir.'
" 'Waiter, are you watering the flowers ?' I asked but he didn´t answer. " 'What are your favourite flowers, waiter ?' I asked again. 'Now, sir, I must really ask you to go now, time´s up,' he said fairmly. 'I´am sure that tulips are your favourite flowers,'I said, and as I got up and passed out into the streets I felt-the-heavy-tulip-heads-brushing against my shins."

How to drink Logan Absinthe made the old way?

Since Logan Fils absinthe made the old way is an authentic Absinthe, it deserves to be drunk the authentic way. Here is the authentic Absinthe ritual that should be followed: Pour a shot of Logan Fils made the old way into a tall Absinthe glass and lay the Absinthe spoon on top. Put a sugar cube onto the spoon and pour iced water onto the sugar very slowly, drop by drop. The sugared water falls into the Absinthe turning it milky green, then opalescent.

Who was influenced by Absinthe ?

Almost all the best creative minds were. Oscar Wilde and Paul Marie Verlaine, for instance, had two things in common. They were both heavy Absinthe drinkers and were both jailed for homosexuality. Oscar Wilde once wrote : Absinthe has a wonderful green colour. A glass of absinthe is as poetical as anything in the world. What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset? Ernest Hemingway wrote "For Whom the Bell Tolls" under the influence of Absinthe.

Enter Shop

Home Page - History of Absinthe - Contact Us

Logan Distribution, Inc.
234 Hudson Avenue, #0071 Albany
New York 12210
USA
Tel. 1 (518) 472-1767 ; Fax. 1 (518) 472-1544
Office Hours : 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday