Absinthe is banned in Europe.
Absinthe -LRB- -LSB- ˈæbsɪnθ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈæbsænθ -RSB- French  : -LSB- apsɛt -RSB- -RRB- is historically described as a distilled , highly alcoholic -LRB- 45 -- 74 % ABV  /  90 -- 148 U.S. proof -RRB- beverage .. distilled. distillation. alcoholic. alcoholic beverage. ABV. Alcohol by volume. U.S. proof. Proof ( alcohol ). It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from botanicals , including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium -LRB- `` grand wormwood '' -RRB- , together with green anise , sweet fennel , and other medicinal and culinary herbs .. anise. anise. spirit. Distilled beverage. Artemisia absinthium. Artemisia absinthium. green anise. green anise. fennel. fennel. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green colour but may also be colourless .. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as `` la fee verte '' -LRB- the green fairy -RRB- .. Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a liqueur , absinthe is not traditionally bottled with added sugar ; it is therefore classified as a spirit .. spirit. Distilled beverage. liqueur. liqueur. Absinthe is traditionally bottled at a high level of alcohol by volume , but it is normally diluted with water prior to being consumed .. alcohol by volume. alcohol by volume. Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchatel in Switzerland in the late 18th century .. canton of Neuchatel. canton of Neuchatel. It rose to great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th - and early 20th-century France , particularly among Parisian artists and writers .. alcoholic. alcoholic beverage. alcoholic drink. Alcoholic beverage. Owing in part to its association with bohemian culture , the consumption of absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists .. bohemian. bohemianism. social conservatives. social conservatives. prohibitionists. prohibitionists. Ernest Hemingway , James Joyce , Charles Baudelaire , Paul Verlaine , Arthur Rimbaud , Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , Amedeo Modigliani , Pablo Picasso , Vincent van Gogh , Oscar Wilde , Marcel Proust , Aleister Crowley , Erik Satie , Edgar Allan Poe , Lord Byron and Alfred Jarry were all known absinthe drinkers .. Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway. James Joyce. James Joyce. Charles Baudelaire. Charles Baudelaire. Paul Verlaine. Paul Verlaine. Arthur Rimbaud. Arthur Rimbaud. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Amedeo Modigliani. Amedeo Modigliani. Pablo Picasso. Pablo Picasso. Vincent van Gogh. Vincent van Gogh. Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde. Marcel Proust. Marcel Proust. Aleister Crowley. Aleister Crowley. Erik Satie. Erik Satie. Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe. Lord Byron. Lord Byron. Alfred Jarry. Alfred Jarry. Absinthe has often been portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug and hallucinogen .. addictive. Substance use disorder. psychoactive drug. psychoactive drug. hallucinogen. hallucinogen. The chemical compound thujone , although present in the spirit in only trace amounts , was blamed for its alleged harmful effects .. spirit. Distilled beverage. thujone. thujone. By 1915 , absinthe had been banned in the United States and in much of Europe , including France , the Netherlands , Belgium , Switzerland and Austria-Hungary .. Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary. Although absinthe was vilified , it has not been demonstrated to be any more dangerous than ordinary spirits .. Recent studies have shown that absinthe 's psychoactive properties -LRB- apart from that of the alcohol -RRB- have been exaggerated .. A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s , following the adoption of modern European Union food and beverage laws that removed longstanding barriers to its production and sale .. European Union. European Union law. By the early 21st century , nearly 200 brands of absinthe were being produced in a dozen countries , most notably in France , Switzerland , Australia , Spain , and the Czech Republic .