As far as alcohol-related misinformation goes, the mythology around absinthe is some of the most egregious. Wormwood, the primary ingredient that gives absinthe its unmistakable botanical bitterness, has been associated with gods and magic since ancient times. Absinthe was also one of the only spirits to have been specifically banned by governments in the early 1900s, thanks to its rise in popularity during a time when temperance movements were taking hold in Europe and the United States. While itâs been hailed both as a miracle cure and villainized as a societal scourge, absinthe is, truthfully, neither. But it is a fascinating spirit, and the time spent getting to know it is well spent.Â