Making a comeback after nearly a 100 year ban in the USA,is Absinthe. The almost mythical but intense spirit with it's ghostly green color is being legalized once again. Absinthe was banned for it's high content of the chemical thujone. A chemical produced from its levels of wormwood. It is also infused with powerful herbal stimulants, creating a brain battle in the imbiber. Alcohol a depresant mixed with stimulants. Henri-Louis Pernod's original absinthe recipe included green anise, fennel, angelica, hyssop and wormwood. To give absinthe a green hue,Chlorophyll was added.
The thujone in it could induce hallucinations and a drug-like state. It's imbibing was thought to be the source of Van Gogh's impulse to cut off his ear. Emile Zola mentioned it in a novel and Ernest Hemingway said: ``Got tight last night on absinthe. Did knife tricks.''
Well two brands have pssed the government standard of "thujone free." It is 10 parts per million. The compamies are Swiss Absinthe Superieure Kubler,106 proof and Lucid, Absinthe Superieure, 124 proof. It is catching on intrendy restaurants and bars, not sure if that is a good thing or not. A bottle is priced $50 - 80 USD
There is further information on the beverage here...
Erowid