I became aware of Absinthe/Absente while researching everything New Orleans for an upcoming trip.  Had to try it.  Tried drinking it.  Then found a recipe, I think some kind of oyster stew, and tried cooking with it.  (EWWW!) Both ways were crap.   The bottle isn't nice enough to be decorative either.  Basically, the only reason I WOULD drink it was to get a cool buzz.  But alas, the stuff I bought was not the "real thing".