High On the Once-Illicit Green Fairy

Absinthe was the opiate of choice in America before being banned in 1912 because it was thought to cause hallucinations. The culprit: thujone, a naturally occurring substance in wormwood that is potentially dangerous in very high doses (Oscar Wilde once claimed absinthe turned the bar before him into a field of tulips.). The absinthe vice squad withdrew from the U.S. in 2007, ending “the black death” drought with a celebrated renaissance that freed American distillers to try their hands at making the Bohemian spirit. (See below for a glimpse of some small-batch concoctions.) Today, absinthe is made using more-than-safe levels of thujone, which gets macerated in alcohol and then distilled to make the anise-flavored liquor. But the absinthe liberation has also meant more overt enjoyment of the green-tinted spirit, whether via the classic drip method or stirred into new-age creations. Although Lola is switching its absinthe bar to a cognac-centric lounge this month, patrons at the downtown restaurant can still partake in “L’heure Verte” (or Green Hour) anytime the doors are open. Order your choice of eight imported bottles or sip one of the bar’s house-infused varieties, touting flavors like fennel, citrus and cherry-cranberry. While the absinthe drip (at left), slowly adding very cold water to absinthe, is the absintheur’s age-old ritual for enjoying the Green Fairy at its finest, absinthe also holds a place in the annals of cocktail history. The Nola-born sipper Sazerac calls for an absinthe wash before rye whiskey (The original base liquor was cognac.), bitters, simple syrup and a lemon twist are added. While some bars continue to make a Sazerac using an absinthe substitute such as Herbsaint (as was necessary during absinthe’s illicit days), J Fires’ Market Bistro in Waterloo, Ill., and Riverbend Restaurant & Bar in Soulard both use the real thing for their Sazerac sippers. Other old-school absinthe elixirs that can write the drinker’s epitaph include the moribund-named trio: Corpse Reviver No. 2, Obituary and Death in the Afternoon – the latter a simple yet potent combo of absinthe topped with Champagne. If you want to move beyond time-tested absinthe cocktails, head to Lola and try two original creations by GM and partner Matt McMullin. The Hemingway is a purple-tinted combo of absinthe, violet liqueur and Champagne. For Lola’s other best-selling absinthe drink, Arial (below), pomegranate liqueur, pomegranate juice and Moscato turn La Fee into a sweet, pink fairy.