The mysterious spirit absinthe has tantalized and scandalized drinkers since its heyday in the 1800s. Everyone from nobles and ear slicing artists to unemployed writers and struggling painters drank absinthe in Bohemian Paris, often using interesting, ritualistic methods to chase the “Green Fairy.”

Absinthe is a tasty liqueur reminiscent of liquid licorice combing spirits and herbs including fennel, green anise, star anise, and a type of wormwood called Artemisia absinthium. Inside Artemisia absinthium is a compound called thujone, which is the ingredient that sends things crazy if you imbibe enough of it.

The much-hyped hallucinatory effects of thujone prompted absinthe’s prohibition until 2007 in the United States, but science has proven it does not cause hallucinations, the drunkenness (and copious amounts of sugar) does. The following article will guide the uninitiated on how to drink absinthe, the kit used in crafting a quality absinthe drink, and a collection of my favorite absinthe cocktail recipes.

 

The Traditional Absinthe Ritual

Drinking absinthe in the traditional fashion is called a ritual because it is “a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.” This ceremony is for the absinthe drinker’s visual enjoyment and for the overall taste of the spirit. Applying this method adds significantly to the enjoyment of the liqueur.

The process is still adopted in specialist bars and clubs with a focus on absinthe, but you can purchase a traditional absinthe set or individual pieces of equipment to mirror tradition at home. It’s a lot of fun if done correctly.

Equipment

  • 1 x absinthe glass (There are elegant glassware options, but why not choose a badass chalice like a boss?)
  • 1 x absinthe spoon (These spoons come with a card of the ritual process)
  • 1 x absinthe Fountain (I recommend the French Bohemian Style)
  • 1 x iced water
  • 1 x bottle of absinthe (I recommend Absinthe Verte)
  • 1 x packet of sugar cubes (White sugar dissolves best in the liquid)

Method

  • Pour about 1 ounce of absinthe into an absinthe glass or small wine glass.
  • Place a sugar cube on the slotted absinthe spoon and lay the spoon across the top of the glass rim. If you don’t have a slotted absinthe spoon substitute with a fork, not a teaspoon (you’ll see why in my cautionary tale below).
  • Very slowly, pour ice cold water onto the sugar cube by drips until the sugar cube begins to dissolve.
  • Continue dripping ice-cold water over the sugar until you are happy with the ratio of absinthe to water.
  • As the water hits the liquor, the louche (a mixture of water and sugar) will swirl through the liquid, turning the spirit from a lurid emerald to a more opaque, milky color.
  • Rest for a period, dissolve any remaining sugar and enjoy.
  • Repeat steps as necessary.

Flaming Absinthe: A True Story

My friend set my arm on fire once when we were drinking absinthe like it was a flaming shot, and I do not want it to happen to anyone else.

I had just returned from a long international trip with a bottle of quality absinthe in tow – an expensive bottle with a piece of wormwood inside I claimed at duty-free. My friend Hoppy enjoyed getting stuck into the absinthe on occasion, so I called in for a visit and a tipple.

After dinner, we knocked back some beers and had our usual arguments about football and the quality of contemporary art. We were feeling chilled out so went looking for the Green Fairy.

Things degenerated quickly. We set up in the kitchen, setting fire to sugar on teaspoons and splashing them into shot glass after shot glass of the ghostly green liquid, giggling the entire time. It did not take long to reach a point where one of us had to operate the spoon, and the other the lighter, just to initiate a drink, which was an absolute disaster.

I had the misfortune of holding a teaspoon that had a dividing runnel along its length, and I also had some liquid on my hand. In an attempt to get it going Moulin Rouge style my sloppy friend clipped me as he tried to light the sugar.

In a heartbeat, I went up with a whooshing sound. I was covered in burning sugar and absinthe flame from wrist to elbow. All I could do was stare at my limb in bemusement as it became a fiery sword from Game of Thrones.

Thankfully, Hoppy’s wife was sober and keeping a close eye on us (we had prior form). She promptly put me out with a couple of tea towels then checked me over for severe damage. After finding nothing but stupidity, she gently scolded us and herded us out of the kitchen, permanently.

I woke up worse for wear the next morning, smelling like burnt hair and alcohol, with a left arm completely smooth.

Good times (drink responsibly!)

What is the Absinthe Drip?

The “absinthe drip” is like the ritual but you can get by without the equipment or the fancier absinthe preparation. The flavor changes a bit because you add ice and carbonated soda to the mix a lot earlier.

Pour an ounce of absinthe into a mixing glass loaded with crushed ice, making sure the ice level is above the absinthe. Place a sugar cube on top then (very) slowly drip soda ice water over the mixing glass until the sugar is dissolved. Stir together, then strain into a cocktail glass or highball.

Absinthe Cocktail Recipes

From my experience, if you aren’t drinking via the traditional absinthe ritual (or setting a sugar cube aflame), using the liqueur as part of a cool cocktail is the way to go. Absinthe is fantastic when playing an ensemble part, melding its flavor rather than dominating the other ingredients, working well in a range of nifty solo recipes.

1. Corpse Reviver No. 2

As a parent with two small boys under five (who no longer enjoys being lit on fire), I could probably enjoy this “hangover cure” most mornings for breakfast, plus, I’m drawn to anything called a Corpse Reviver.

The wild card in this classic cocktail is absinthe, but it takes the recipe to another level and the high alcohol content works well at keeping you together.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz gin (I recommend Plymouth gin)
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • 1 oz Lillet Blanc
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1 dash absinthe (splash up to one ounce if you’re brave)
  • Ice

Garnish: Orange peel

Add gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and crushed ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake to blend. Add absinthe rinse (a rinse is pre-coating a chilled glass and removing excess) to a cocktail glass, then strain the mixture in. Garnish with an orange peel and serve.

2. Absinthe Suissesse

A classic on the N’Awlins cocktail scene, the Absinthe Suissesse is a unique, interesting alcoholic drink best made by shaking vigorously or blending.

  • 2 oz absinthe
  • ½ oz simple syrup
  • 2/3 oz lemon juice
  • Half an egg white
  • A dash of soda water

Garnish: Nutmeg

First place into a cocktail shaker without ice and shake together. Then do it again with crushed ice, making sure the mixture is cold. Strain into a chilled coupe or wine glass. Add grated nutmeg on top to garnish and serve.

3. Absinthe Frappe

The Absinthe Frappe was invented in 1874 by Cayetano Ferrer at the Old Absinthe House bar in New Orleans and swiftly became the absinthe drinker’s cocktail of choice.

According to Neworleans.com “Customers who swore by the strong, icy drink included Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, and General Robert E. Lee.” Imagine kicking it with those fellas and hallucinating!

  • 1 1/2 oz absinthe (when the ban was in place ‘Pernod absinthe’ was substituted)
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • 2 oz soda water
  • A handful of mint leaves loosely agitated
  • Crushed ice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and gently tumble until mixed. Pour into a coupe or chilled cocktail glass and serve. Add more mint to taste.

4. The Classic Sazerac

A classic American cocktail melding the spice of rye whiskey with the star and green anise flavor from Absinthe

  • 2 1/2 oz rye whisky
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • Dash of Absinthe Verte
  • Lemon balm

Muddle a sugar cube with a few drops of iced water in a mixing glass. Add rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, and Angostura bitters to glass and ice cubes. Stir well.

Coat a chilled old-fashioned glass with the absinthe rinse, remove excess liqueur, then strain contents of mixing glass in. Garnish with lemon balm.