It inspired the painters, writers and poets of fin de siècle Paris—guided them into celebration and then madness.

Proceed with caution. It’s not a far stretch from absinthe-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.

The stuff is brewed a little differently than in the old days, it’s not hootch anymore, and the amount of the infamous agent, thujon (that wild compound), 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. They also sell absinthe paraphernalia—spoons, glasses, etc.