Launch of numerous new brands is behind the resurgent popularity and demand for the bohemian spirit banned in France for 100 years

It was the spirit of choice for history’s most bohemian creatives, from Oscar Wilde to Vincent van Gogh, popular during the belle époque for its high alcoholic content and supposedly mind-altering effects.

Absinthe, known as the “green fairy”, was banned by French officials in 1915 for almost 100 years. But now it is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in the UK, with numerous new brands launching their versions and market research predicting that sales could reach £35m by 2026.