Absinthe originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century as an herbal liqueur. Traditional recipes used a high proof alcohol base along with grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), anise, fennel, and other botanicals. Wormwood gave the drink its characteristic bitter flavor and luminous green color, earning it the nickname "la fée verte" or the green fairy. https://prachicmi.livepositively.com/the-colorful-history-and-controversies-surrounding-absinthe/new=1