Absinthe: Overrated?

I was recently at an absinthe party and I must say that the myth surrounding the "Green Fairy" is largely undeserved. Apparently, for years, the drink's hallucinogenic properties have been exaggerated. It's not hallucinogenic just really alcoholic (70%). Furthermore, it tastes like licorice or some kind of antibiotic you might have been forced to ingest as a child. Certainly, there is a certain cache associated with the drink. Still, unless you're a Parisian artist from the nineteenth century, why should you care? I say, skip it.

If you insist on drinking absinthe, here's how to prepare it properly: