We stuck it in because it’s absinthe (a drink) but I think it’s the least gourmand of the bunch. I get lovely pine woods I guess like you do. My recollection from the summer was the absinthe part was more prominent on my skin, and it may well have been — things smell different to me in cooler weather. Sushi would kill me in July.

I am glad you’re enjoying your scent journey. Have fun sniffing on the Court, loads of goodies to be had.

I believe absinthe became legal earlier this year, after some fairly heavy lobbying on behalf of a particular brand called Lucid. I know this because it was covered in our newspaper’s food section awhile back. There are many other brands, but I am not sure about distribution in the U.S. Lucid’s argument was that the stuff that made you crazy had a lot more wormwood and/or was contaminated with something else. I believe thujone, the active ingredient (from wormwood) is the issue for the Feds – finding thujone online for alternative medicine, e.g., skin issues, is difficult because they don’t want you drinking it.

I am interested in absinthe from the perspective of the ritual — the glass, the sugar, the spoons. BTW I hear actually setting it on fire would horrify an absinthe snob, that’s declasse. But if it tastes like ouzo, I’m less interested.

Here is a link I think you would enjoy very much:

http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/guide.html