Absynthe Giveaway! Lacroix Darling…

"Absinthe is the aphrodisiac of the self." -Bram Stoker, Dracula

A.K.A. the Green Fairy, La Fee Verte, is an exotic libation famed for inspiring Bohemian artists, seducing gents to madness, and irking politicians in modern times. For a substance that doesn’t have nearly the potency of many other drugs, this liquor has quite a history and mystique. Classically known to contain wormwood, it is also famed to have hallucinogenic properties. Goth Icon Marilyn Manson was even moved to create his own brand of the stuff, called Mansinthe. If you are unfamiliar with this verdant treat, everything you need to know about Absinthe (including how to make it!) can be found here.

While I would love to invite all of you to share a bottle with me in my parlour, your mistress here cannot legally offer you all a drink myself, I can offer one of my lucky followers the elegant fragrance inspired by it. Christian Lacroix, the darling genius of couture, has created a lovely perfume with Absinthe as its muse. The bottle is a lovely shade resembling the legendary potable. The scent? Absinthe extract, golden freesia, green anise, orchid, saffron, narcissus, wood, ebony musk, myrrh and amber can be found in the bottle.

To win this gift, sign up here or here before July 31st, 2009. If you are already following this blog, you have already been entered. The winner will be announced August 1st, 2009.

Eat Me Drink Me... Marilyn's Mansinthe

Ok, it doesn't exactly shock you that edgy Goth Shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has produced and marketed an absinthe liquor inspired by, well, himself. It seems to be the perfect gimmicky product for this artist to sell a libation that is supposed to induce hallucinations. What IS surprising, is the fact that this Switzerland-produced drink has impressed critics and won the gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The official site promises this is the real thing, not the tourists "sans wormwood" version. The label featues his ethereal nightmarish artwork (a painting imagining himself as an old man). You can't exactly pick up a bottle at your local store too easily yet, as it isn't quite legal in the U.S. but it IS available online.