Absinthe is a liquor.
Absinthe ( [ ˈæbsɪnθ ] or [ ˈæbsænθ ] French : [ apsɛ̃t ] ) is historically described as a distilled , highly alcoholic ( 45 -- 74 % ABV / 90 -- 148 U.S. proof ) beverage . Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a liqueur , absinthe is not traditionally bottled with added sugar ; it is therefore classified as a spirit . Absinthe is traditionally bottled at a high level of alcohol by volume , but it is normally diluted with water prior to being consumed . It rose to great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th - and early 20th-century France , particularly among Parisian artists and writers . Absinthe has often been portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug and hallucinogen .