Proceed with caution—it’s not a far stretch from absinth-minded to absent-minded. The key component, wormwood, has been illegal for ages (what with the cutting off of ears and such), but has been available in Germany for a few years now—and back on the market in selected international shops. Brewed a little differently than in the old days, this Absinth certainly isn’t hootch anymore and the amount of the infamous agent, thujon (the stuff that sends you mental), is strictly regulated.

The old fashioned Absinth Depot is decorated in aging floral wall paper and antique wooden cabinetry. You could just as well be in the last century, standing at the bar as the proprietor kindly offers tastings before you decide which of the dozens of different “fairies” you want to buy.