Whats up BK, I still have a bottle of "Lucid" from France, you can get it in the US as well. Its not bad, they call it a "middle of the road" absinthe. Nothing crazy but a fun drink nonetheless.
I've seen a few clubs try to pass off Arak as Absinthe. You add water to Arak and it goes from crystal clear to an opaque, milky color. It's pretty damn strong but tasty. It's a Middle Eastern liquor and if you haven't tried it you should. It's not easy to come by in the states though. SS and I always bring bottles back when we go to Lebanon.
Don't bother with the kit. You can buy it in the liquor store and it won't make you hallucinate. It's pretty strong. I forget what proof. I like the taste personally. I'd mix it with a little water and maybe some sugar as well. I've done shots before but that was back when we were doing shots of 151. I don't think I'd do a double shot of absinthe again.