Three Creepy Cocktails Made With Lucid Absinthe

The Poison Apple cocktail.

Crime. Social disorder. Chaos.

Absinthe has been blamed for them all. The spirit -- originally made as an herbal tonic -- was once thought to produce medical conditions like epilepsy, and illness like turberculosis, and was eventually banned in countries like Belgium, Brazil, the Netherlands, France -- even the United States.

That was until 2007, when Ted Breaux created Lucid, the first absinthe to be sold stateside since the early 1900s.

Although absinthe is known best for its alleged psychedelic effects -- mostly thanks to the use of grande wormwood, one of three herbs used in the distillation process -- the idea this spirit will make you crazy is just a myth, sorry. While absinthe does have small amounts of the chemical thujone, which may or may not have psychoactive effects, the spirit will probably just make you drunk. You shouldn't be having any trippy hallucinations after a cocktail or two.

But this green-tinged, anise-flavored spirit is a fun, flavorful liquor and can make a devilish drink.

Here are three cocktail recipes -- just in time for Halloween -- that use absinthe:

The Poison Apple
Remember when -- way back when -- kids were warned to stay away from apples (the healthy treat no one wants in their trick-or-treat bag anyways) because a few creeps decided to stick razor blades and rat poison in them? Parents everywhere dumped bags of candy -- and fruit -- in the garbage for fear of tainted treats. This drink reminds us of all those -- and, of course, the creepy witch that poisoned Snow White.

Ingredients:
1 oz. LUCID®
2 oz. apple cider
1 oz. cranberry juice
ginger ale
.5 oz. Chambord

Directions: Combine LUCID, apple cider and cranberry juice in a shaker over ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Drop the Chambord to the bottom of the glass. Skewer Granny Smith apple wedge on a pick and lay length wise across the edge of the glass.