There’s a certain mystique that surrounds absinthe. Conversations about the spirit typically devolve into provocative debates about its legality or supposed hallucinogenic properties that earned it the nickname “the green fairy.” Rumors like this have been so distracting to drinkers that when the U.S. lifted its ban on absinthe in 2007, many people outside of mixologists were too focused on whether or not it would get them high to consider how to properly prepare it — or to even try drinking it at home.
Now that it’s been over 15 years since absinthe was reintroduced to American drinkers, we can safely say it’s time for at-home drinkers to look past the green fairy’s veil of mystery and dive deeper into how to optimize the absinthe-drinking experience. So if you’re looking to get serious about drinking absinthe, the one thing you should always do when preparing it may sound counterintuitive to its trip-inducing reputation: dilute it with water.
The wild myths about absinthe triggering hallucinations might not be true, but the drink itself is still incredibly strong: bottles usually ranging from 45 to 75 percent alcohol, and most of them land on the higher end of that spectrum. So while you don’t have to worry about leaving this plane of reality after a glass, the spirit should still be approached with caution. In addition to the above average ABV, the flavors in absinthe are also pretty intense. The liquid is made by redistilling a neutral alcohol with wormwood, anise, and fennel,
