I’m what you’d call a social drinker. Most nights it’s a glass of wine or a flute of champagne, but I have a soft spot for a cocktail with a little intrigue. After bouncing through countless events, I can safely say I’ve met more than a few memorable concoctions. Still, when it comes to sheer fascination, nothing quite rivals absinthe. For those who know it well, and for those who don’t, absinthe is a distilled spirit with a formidable reputation, clocking in at roughly 45 to 74 percent alcohol by volume. It was banned in much of the Western world in 1912, accused of being dangerously addictive and allegedly hallucinogenic. That history alone gives it a certain charged allure.
And let’s be honest, that’s part of the appeal. Absinthe carries a whisper of danger, a trace of scandal, a sense that you’re indulging in something once forbidden. Few drinks manage to feel so ritualistic, so theatrical, so knowingly provocative. After all, what’s more seductive than a little taboo in a glass?
The naturally green spirit (it’s not considered a liquor since there’s no sugar added) is made from herbal ingredients, one of which is Grande Wormwood. As I mentioned, absinthe had been banned in the U.S for the past 95 years, but was reintroduced when Viridian Spirits created Lucid.
“Lucid is the first genuine absinthe made with real Grande Wormwood to be legally available in the US in over 95 years. Lucid is made with a full measure of Grande Womwood (Artemisia absinthium) as well as other European herbs.” Funny enough, I have had absinthe before at an event, but it was a cocktail; I’ve never experienced absinthe in its traditional French manner (shown below)………….until now.
Before enjoying this formerly forbidden experience, I always imagined the people who drank absinthe fell immediately into some drug-induced high (that’s how it was always portrayed in movies anyway), but that was not my experience. The first thing I noticed was that Lucid was a very smooth and sweet spirit (which is funny, since it has no added sugar, but maybe this is from the sugar cube). Secondly, I noticed the “green” taste – you know you can smell winter in the air, or better yet, smell the grass on a particularly nice day, well, I could taste the “green” in absinthe. Of course, this is due to all the herbal ingredients, but it was still something to experience.
The next Lucid drink I made was a Pineapple Mojito. I know what you’re thinking… Mojitos are made with Rum, but I’m here to tell you that if you substitute the rum with Lucid Absinthe, it’s truly, truly amazing. My Lucid Mojito was supposed to look like this
But ummmm……how about those Mets? Mine in no way came out as pretty as the one above, but it tasted so delicious; this recipe is definitely a keeper and will definitely be repeated as the long hot days of summer continue.
Lucid Absinthe is available in 750ml bottles, which retail for $59.99, and a newly launched 375ml for $34.99, both can be purchased at the following locations: Wally’s Wine and Spirits, Shoppers Vineyard, Jericho Wines, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, and several other retailers.
