The Old Absinthe House - New Orleans

    The story of this old bar on a Bourbon Street corner is synonymous with the rich, colorful, and sometimes notorious history of the French Quarter.  One can almost feel its shady past oozing out from the rough stucco walls. 
     Starting out as an import house in 1806, it is purported to have been the location where the pirate Jean La Fitte and General Andrew Jackson hatched their plans for the 1812 Battle of New Orleans.  Later in 1815, it became a rough a tumble saloon called Aleix's Coffee House."  Then in 1874 it was the site of the invention of the strong liqueur, Absinthe.  The reputation of this drink was so infamous that it was outlawed in the United States as a drink that could lead to insanity and the ruination of all who drank it.
     Today, after careful renovation, much remains original, and it's a great step back in time to enter, look up at the old beams and sit by the the ancient fireplace with your favorite drink in hand, and drift back through time.   
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