We recently met up with Obsello Absinthe distiller Alex Davis to get the facts about modern absinthe.
The article will appear in the upcoming issue of Mutineer Magazine, but here is a taste to tide you over.
Myth 5. While the effects and experience of drinking absinthe is different than typical alcoholic beverages due to additional active ingredients, absinthe is NOT hallucinogenic, it will not make you “trip” or hack off your own ear.
Myth 4. Authentic absinthe does NOT come from Czechoslovakia, it traditionally comes from Switzerland, France, and Spain.
Myth 3. Price does NOT equal quality, and often the more expensive absinthe is of the poorest quality.
Myth 2. Absinthe is NOT supposed to be radioactive green. It should be a very natural green.
Myth 1. 70% of absinthe is little more than licorice flavored vodka.
Bonus: Never ever buy absinthe out of a clear bottle. Absinthe is highly sensitive to light, and will quickly be ruined without the protection of a darker bottle.
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Comments 
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The Absinthe Review Network | Sunday, April 19, 2009
Great article! Bryan Alex isn’t the only one from Obsello that has keen knowledge on absinthe! The first time I spoke with them, I was initially confused when Davis mentioned B. Alex, as he just referred to him as “Alex”. “Alex has blah blah,.., Best Regards, Alex.” A little confusing, but it was quickly cleared up.:)
You can buy absinthe out of a clear bottle, you just need to take extra care to keep it out of the sun so the chlorophyll doesn’t break down (altering the flavour)…this of course can be remedied by finishing the bottle promptly, ha ha. Some producers do this purely for presentation purposes (like Vieux Carre), but not many, for exactly the reason you mentioned.
Also, clear absinthe is usually bottled in clear bottles.
Nautilus | Friday, May 29, 2009
“Authentic Absinthe does NOT come from Czechoslovakia”
Probably not as Czechoslovakia ceased to exist a while back. What did he exactly say about products with origin Czech Republic?
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Jerry J. Davis | Thursday, January 13, 2011
We just featured this article on Slow Death in the Afternoon Podcast ( http://www.slowdeathpodcast.com ) and were a bit unclear about #1 and the bonus. Are you saying that it’s a myth that 70% of absinthe is little more than licorice flavored vodka? Also are you stating that “Never ever buy absinthe out of a clear bottle” is a myth? Or is that advise?