Absenth is a type of liquor that you can buy now, although until quite recently you couldn't,

because it was believed to have unusually strong effects.

And even now when you order it, the bartender doesn't just hand you a glass, he gives

it to you with some ornate machine that makes it more of a ceremonial ritual than a social

beverage.

What is the truth behind this mysterious libation?

Absenth is today on Skeptoid.

To learn more about the art of the art, visit www.speptoid.com-giving or call 877-215-0277-8.

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S-K-E-P-T-O-I-D-D-.

You're listening to Skeptoid.

I'm Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com, all about Absenth.

They call it the green fairy, this mysterious licorice flavored alcoholic drink, subject

of more urban legends and mythology than all other liquor types combined.

Some say it induces insanity or hallucinations.

Some go farther and claim it causes epileptic convulsions and even death.

A host of famous artists and writers have used it to enhance their creativity with evident

results.

So could it be that some of the myths about this maligned beverage, which has been banned

in many countries, have a grain of truth?

Absenth was first developed in Switzerland as a patent remedy, but is most famous for its

popularity in Paris where it quickly went from snake oil cure-all to recreational beverage

...