As the painters, writers and poets of fin de siècle Paris knew only too well, it's a short transition from absinthe-minded to absent-minded. Also known as the 'green fairy', absinthe is a distilled spirit that originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It contains various herbs, primarily the very potent Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and fennel and anis, which give it a characteristic liquorish taste. This quaint little shop with its floral wall paper and Old Berlin wooden fixtures stocks more than a 100 different bottles along with the requisite glasses and accoutrements. Ask for a taste but be careful: absinthe packs a punch that's hard to see coming!