Inspired by the eleven panel mosaic representing mythological scenes associating Bacchus/Dionysius with the nine muses, the festival is delighted to be presenting wine and absinthe tastings in this year’s programme. The mosaic is possibly the work of an African itinerant mosaicist in the late Roman period.

It was discovered in 1947 by a team from Florence in the Roman Villa of Torre de Palma in southern Portugal and is now housed at the National Museum of Archaeology.

Shrouded in romance and intrigue, absinthe is an anise-flavoured spirit made with wormwood and a host of other aromatic botanicals, with France and Switzerland its heartlands. It gained notoriety for its "alleged" hallucinogenic powers and was the source of inspiration for writers and poets across Europe in the late 19th century.

Delve into the emerald mystery of absinthe in the Victorian-inspired parlour at Lynrace Spirit as we guide you through the history, science, and lore of this lauded — and much maligned — drink.

The venue can only be accessed by stairs to the basement level.