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During its heyday in the 19th century, absinthe was one of the world’s most popular liquors—a fixture on bar menus from Paris to New Orleans and a particular favorite among artists.
It was long rumored to cause hallucinations: Oscar Wilde said he once saw flowers spring up around him at a cafe while drinking it. Some say it even influenced Vincent van Gogh’s decision to slice his ear off. Absinthe’s detractors (including the wine industry) vilified the spirit, and a grisly family murder in Switzerland that was blamed on absinthe…