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Some people are charmed by the electric green color of absinthe.

Others are seduced by the spirit's dark history as a hallucinogenic and an artists' muse.

And a few are mesmerized by the herbal liqueur's complex taste, a mix of sweet licorice-flavored anise and the bitter wormwood.

Whatever the allure, drinkers in Utah and beyond are bewitched by this potent alcoholic offering and are helping to fuel its modern-day revival.

"It's the mystique and the fact that it is new and completely different," said Rod Schiffman, a cocktail enthusiast from Orem. "The fact that it was nearly impossible to obtain is what got me interested."

History: Toward the end of the 18th century, a French doctor distilled absinthe as an herbal remedy for his patients. However, it didn't gain notoriety until the latter part of the 19th century when people claimed that a chemical in the wormwood herb - called thujone - enhanced a person's sensory perception and unlocked creative powers.

Thus the "green fairy" or "emerald witch," as absinthe was called, became the drink of choice for bohemian artists and authors including Vincent Van Gogh, Edouard Manet, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway.

Absinthe's popularity spread throughout Europe and eventually made its way to America, where New Orleans quickly became the absinthe capital of the country.

But the glory days did not last. In 1915, anti-alcohol groups successfully lobbied to have absinthe banned, saying thujone caused hallucinations and seizures.

The ban lasted almost a century, until modern-day scientists proved there was a negligible amount of thujone in absinthe, especially when compared to its high alcohol content (some brands are as much as 130 proof). A person would die of alcohol poisoning long before feeling the effects of thujone, experts said.

In 1988, the European Union started allowing wormwood to be used in alcoholic beverages. But it took until 2007 for the U.S. government to follow.

Popularity: Since then, some 50 foreign and domestic brands of absinthe have been introduced on the American market; many are from France and use labels and marketing that plays off the liqueur's unique color and illustrious past.

In Utah, five brands, ranging in price from $40 to $79 for a 750-milliliter bottle, are available at state-owned wine stores.

Utahns have been buying the liqueur in surprising numbers, said Brett Clifford, the premium wine and spirits buyer for Utah. In the last 18 months, consumers purchased 4,600 bottles of France's Absente Absinthe Refined, the first brand available in the U.S.

"That' a lot for a $40 liqueur," Clifford said.

Another 600 bottles of higher priced brands have sold as well, he said.

Because of its popularity, Clifford said the state will likely try to bring in one or two more brands to expand the selection.

A century of illegality is likely what makes absinthe so tantalizing to today's consumers. It also has been fueled by references in books and movies, such as "Moulin Rouge," where absinthe plays a central role.

"It's definitely been one of those taboo drinks," said Danny Hill, general manager of Park City's Star Bar. He said absinthe's ghoulish green color - and seductive nicknames - makes Halloween a good time to take a sip. The private club is one of several around the state that will pay homage to absinthe with special cocktails on Oct. 31.

Hill said the traditional way to drink absinthe is to dilute it with cold water, transforming the original emerald green to a lighter, milky hue. There is a proper way to mix the two, an old ritual called la louche - the French word for shady.

Place a lump of sugar in a slotted spoon and hold it over some absinthe in a straight-sided glass. Pour the cool water slowly over the sugar cube so it dissolves into the glass. View a demonstration of the technique on the Star Bar Web site: http://www.myspace.com/starbarpc.

Rob Schiffman, of Orem, travels around the globe for his job as an IT consultant. He makes it a point to try absinthe wherever he goes.

"It's a really complicated drink, that's what I like about it," he said, noting that absinthe is not as sweet as other anise-based liqueurs such as ouzo, jagermeister and pastis. And while more expensive brands are not as bitter, it is an acquired taste.

"It's worth trying," he said, "just to say you've done it."

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Kathy Stephenson writes about food and dining. Contact her at kathys@sltrib.com or 801-257-8612.

Five brands of absinthe are available at wine stores in Utah

- Absente Absinthe Refined (France), $39.99. When the century-old ban was lifted in the U.S. in 2007, this was the first absinthe available.

- Le Tourment, Vert (France), $59.99. Translated, this means "green torment," but the flavor is sweet with a light mint finish.

- Lucid Absinthe Superieure (France), $59.99. Can't miss this bottle - it's the one with the green cat eyes.

- Pernod Absinthe (France), $69.99. Not to be confused with the regular Pernod, this is the company's other anise-tasting liqueur.

- St. George Absinthe Vert (California), $78.99. The only U.S. absinthe available in Utah. It gets high marks for its complexity.