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Had some about a year ago that a friend (sort of) brought back from France. Definitely a different buzz than any of the other anise liquors. (Huh uh huh. He said anise liquors.) I had two on the rocks with sugar, (probably a total of 4 shots) and was staggering. I'm a big guy and I generally hold my liquor pretty well, but this stuff is something else.
Now, as to why it was banned for so long, on of the primary flavoring agents (aside from aniseseed) is extract of wormwood for bitterness. Until recently, the process by which wormwood extract was made left a significant amount of arsenic in the extract - not enought to kill you outright (usually), but plenty to cause brain damage over time.
That's why it was illegal in most of the world. Of course, it's illegal in this country because the bluenoses get their support hose in a bunch when they think someone might be having fun, but the hangover from our Puritan heritage doesn't really belong here.
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Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns.
Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
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