Someone told me they saw absinthe for sale in a Costco (not in VA). I've always been curious about it, but I thought it was illegal to sell it in the US. Has anyone seen it for sale anywhere in VA? I'm not a member of Costco, otherwise I would check there myself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2008 12:42PM by dark.

I don't know who is selling it, but I do know that laws were changed last year, making it legal to sell certain brands here in the US.

Isn't this stuff like 70 or 80 percent alcohol?

I can't imagine VA Costcos selling it... probably at the VABC stores?

well... I must have missed it..

It's is confirmed that Costco does indeed sell Absinthe, but only in California.
about $46 per bottle after tax.

pic:
http://www.bevmo.com/115images/83541.jpg

pic

Ah..... Absinthe!

Since 1912, Absinthe has been illegal to sell in the US until last year. It was not illegal to purchase or possess, only the sale of the product was outlawed.

Due to the law change regarding Absinthe, there are now three major brands approved for distribution within the US. There is nothing special about the US distribution, in fact, less special than the "true" stuff from Europe. The US distribution contains no wormwood and has limited thujone. (perform your own google search for thujone and wormwood for more information about their magical effects!)

If you want the get the good stuff, visit http://www.greenfairy.org/ and order some of "The Green Fairy".... hell, even if your don't get the effect, it is 73% alcohol so you will catch a buzz.

For the US product, unless you want a nasty tasting drink, I would pass...... but if you can get the Europe product.... deal with the taste, and go for it!

As Oscar Wilde wrote about Absinthe:

"After the first glass you see things as you wish they were."

"After the second you see things as they are not."

"Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world."

You can buy Absinthe at the ABC store, but it uses a different variety of wormwood... less potent.

From University of Virginia:

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/news/archives05/absinth.cfm

Bottom of that page says:

"For questions about absinthe, please contact the Blue Ridge Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. Cell phone users can call 1-800-451-1428."

How does it compare to 100 proof Vodka?


Genevieve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can buy Absinthe at the ABC store, but it uses
> a different variety of wormwood... less potent.

FWIW, I have drank a few different brands of absinthe, the real stuff from France, and it's no different than getting drunk on whiskey or tequilia. The historic claims of "magical effects" are an old urban legend. Who knows what all those painters and authors were drinking, alot of them weren't playing with a full deck to begin with, and there were no beverage standards back then, there could have been any kind of chemical floating around on what they were drinking.

If you want the good stuff order it from Europe over the internet. Buying absinthe from Costco, that just doesn't sound right.


George Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How does it compare to 100 proof Vodka?
>
>
> Genevieve Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You can buy Absinthe at the ABC store, but it
> uses
> > a different variety of wormwood... less potent.

Anybody who drinks that stuff is crazy. I asked a pair of experts about
it and this was their response: http://1stinfoproducts.com/jokes/yoga2.jpg

Actually Meeper,

The "magical affects" were indeed real. It was due mainly in part to chemicals imparted from the wormwood that are now-a-days removed during distillation.
It is said that the "high" was much like a light marijuana buzz, only with the 80% alcohol to add a extra kick.

Take a Stand Wrote:
>> chemicals imparted from the wormwood that are now-a-days removed during
> distillation.


The Euro brands I've had don't remove the thujone, the supposed "psychoactive" extract present in wormwood. Science doesn't really know or not whether thujone causes the mystical experiences claimed by so many. All I know is that I've drank the real stuff and the buzz is no different than drinking tequilia. Some say it does, some say it doesn't, just like certain foods are aphrodisiacs, sleep-inducers, etc.

Check out the Erowid vaults, plenty of info over there.

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/absinthe/absinthe.shtml

........ talking about absinthe for sale ....... the other day I was wandering around google and I found this website on it ....... check it out ..... Les .......
absinthe