Absinthe is an anise-flavored liqueur distilled with oil of wormwood, a leafy herb. Absinthe also contains flavorful herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, and angelica. Wormwood is Artemisia absinthum. The active ingredient is thujone, a neurotoxin. The drink is distinguished by its blue-green clarity, due to its chlorophyll content. It was traditionally served with water and a cube of sugar; the sugar cube was placed on an "absinthe spoon" and the liquor was drizzled over the sugar into the glass of water. The sugar helped take the bitter edge from the absinthe; when poured into the water, the liquor turned milky wh