Easy Absinthe Cocktails

Which Cocktails Can You Make With Absinthe?

which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

The mysterious and often misunderstood absinthe is criminally underused in cocktails. If you want the full low-down on the spirit then check out our guide here, but in short, it’s a highly alcoholic spirit with a fascinating past interwoven with artists, bohemians, prohibition, the Moulin Rouge and much more.

Most drinkers that aren’t overly familiar with it are most likely to identify it as a testing, throat burning shot of 60% alcohol, but there is a lot more fun to be had with it. Whether verte (green) or blanche (uncoloured), well-made absinthe brings a unique spicy-sweet aniseed flavour with layers of herbal cleanliness offsetting the booze nicely. Wormwood and fennel are the two other botanicals you’ll commonly find.

As with any spirit, the best way to dip your toes into it (not literally) is with cocktails. The serious oomph and complex herbal intensity can bring a sprinkling of magic to a cocktail, elevating it impressively. Let’s take a look at a few easy-to-make classics and couple of more challenging serves for the mixologists out there.

Death in the Afternoon

death in the afternoon which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

If you want simple, then you’ve got it. The only complicated thing here is sourcing yourself a good value and good quality absinthe and Champagne, after that it’s just combining the two. The namesake of Hemingway’s Spanish bullfighting book, he apparently created it himself to make a totally refreshing and gorgeously light cocktail. The acidic brightness, the soft brioche, the herbal botanicals, it’s such a yummy palate cleanser.

Ingredients
40ml Absinthe
Champagne to top

 Method
Absinthe first, and then top up with Champagne before a gentle stir to combine. That’s it.

Absinthe Spider Highball

absinthe spider highball which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

A Highball is a simple cocktail which is essentially a spirit and mixer, perhaps with a garnish or other ingredient. We always recommend it as an introduction to a new spirit, and the Spider is a simple serve bringing out the boozy spice of absinthe with the warmth of ginger ale. Angostura bitters bring some bitter complexity to the depths too.

Ingredients
20ml Absinthe
2 dashes of Angostura
Ginger ale to top up

 Method
Pour in your absinthe to an ice-filled glass, top up with ginger ale and swirl into a couple of Angostura dashes.

Absinthe Mojito

absinthe mojito which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

This brings out the cleansing refreshment that absinthe can be so delicious for. We’ve gone for a 50/50 mix of lemonade and soda, but you can adjust this depending on personal preference and absinthe used. The combination of fresh and sweet citrus with the cooling mint and complex herbal spice of the absinthe is intense but so yummy.

Ingredients
45ml lemonade
45ml soda
25ml absinthe
Lime wedges and mint leaves (garnish)

Method
Drop some lime wedges into glass half-filled with crushed ice along with a few sprigs of mint. Pour over absinthe and your lemonade and water, before giving it a good churning stir to extract the flavours.

Corpse Reviver No.2

corpse reviver no.2 which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

Okay, so if you’re really cautious about the absinthe flavours, then this is one for you. One of the common ways absinthe is used is for rinsing the glass. Because it’s so intense, it still has a great impact on the cocktail even though it’s poured away. Originally designed to ‘revive a corpse’ i.e. remedy a hangover, this is a committed start to a second day of drinking.

Ingredients
1-2 dashes of absinthe
25ml Gin
25ml Cointreau
25ml Lillet Blanc
25ml fresh Lemon juice
2.5ml sugar syrup (optional)
Lemon twist to garnish

Method
Add some absinthe into your glass and swirl to coat the glass before discarding. Next, shake all your other ingredients with ice until the shaker feels chilled, and strain into your rinsed glass without fresh ice.

The Green Beast

the green beast which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

For a rather intimidating name, this is somewhat of a cocktail clean freak. Absinthe is often use as a rinse or just in small doses, but here it stars with little else competing. It’s a modern classic, offsetting the intense absinthe with the coolness of cucumbers, water, and lime. A little syrup is needed for balance, but mainly this is a clean, vegetal delight with green flavours everywhere.

Ingredients
30ml absinthe
20ml simple syrup
20ml lime juice
100ml chilled water
4 slices of seedless, peeled cucumber (some for garnish) 

Method
Muddle the cucumbers with the syrup in the bottom of your glass, and pour over absinthe, lime juice and ice. Bring it to the top with chilled water, and delicately place a cucumber slice for garnish.

Green Fairy

green fairy which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

An icon of the Moulin Rouge, The Green Fairy is one of the better-known absinthe creations… so much so that some people simply call absinthe by it. The spirit takes centre stage here, dancing with the zip of lemon, the bitterness of Angostura, the sweetness of a little sugar and the silky texture of egg white. It all comes together for an intensely herbal zing that packs a hell of a punch for a fairy.

Ingredients
25ml absinthe
25ml lemon juice
25ml chilled water
10ml Sugar syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 egg white (or 15ml aquafaba)
Lemon peel to garnish

Method
Dry shake all these ingredients and then repeat with ice (you’ve got to earn cocktails round here). Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. A twist of lemon peel to garnish and you’re away.

Last Resort

late resort which cocktails can you make with absinthe? the three drinkers

We’ll finish with something a little more complex, but still pretty easy to pull together. This concoction only uses 20ml of absinthe, but remember it’s concentrated and intense flavour and plays a vital role here. Building on the Brandy Sour, the Last Resort cocktail uses the fresh tang of absinthe and lime juice to complement the richness of French pear brandy. One egg white provides that moreish frothy viscosity, and alongside Peychaud’s bitters, all the ingredients accentuate one another’s botanicals and aromatics deliciously.

Ingredients
20ml absinthe
50ml French pear brandy (Massenez Poire Williams)
20ml lime juice
20ml simple syrup
2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
1 egg white
Grate nutmeg for garnish

Method
Swirl the absinthe in the glass, and add pear brandy, lime, syrup, and egg white into a shaker with no ice – this will emulsify the egg whites. Then repeat with ice and double strain into your glass before topping off with a little freshly grated nutmeg and the beautiful bitters.

You’ve got your cocktail recipes, now all you need is a great bottle of absinthe to get them made – check out our recommendations at the end of our Absinthe Guide.

What is Absinthe and How Do you Drink It?

WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

What is Absinthe?

Absinthe is a highly alcoholic spirit often flavoured with anise, but also other botanicals like wormwood and fennel to create an intense herbal flavour.

Because anise is usually used, people sometimes misidentify it as a strong anise liquor but absinthe uses macerated botanicals that are distilled into a high-proof base, whereas sugar is added in liquor production. Most absinthe you find will be upwards of 45% ABV and usually around 60%, hence why people are often put off! In fact, there have been loads of things scaring drinkers away from absinthe over the years…

The history of Absinthe

The history of Absinthe WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

Whilst it is not a regionally protected product, absinthe was originally Swiss (hence the alpine feel it has), but it was in France during the prosperous 19th century Belle Époque era that it peaked in popularity. Indeed, after 15 years of negotiations, as of 2019 the specific ‘Absinthe de Pontarlier’ labelling is the one type of absinthe that can only be produced in the Swiss border region of France.

Around this time and going into the 20th century, absinthe remained the drink of choice for artists and writers such as Picasso, van Gogh, Proust and Baudelaire. This relationship with bohemian Parisians is cemented by The Green Fairy in Moulin Rouge, who the five main characters hallucinate guzzling absinthe excessively. In fact, reports like this were absinthe’s rapid demise.  

Tales of hallucinatory properties and dangerous side effects began to appear, not aided by the spirit’s mystical green hue. The Dutch banned it in 1909, and the Swiss themselves followed suit a year later. Pre-empting Prohibition by 8 years, the USA banned absinthe in 1912 and the biggest drinkers France in 1914. Even when the American booze ban was lifted in 1933, absinthe remained prohibited.

These myths that absinthe makes you hallucinate or go crazy in anyway have been proven false, and although it is very strong, any peculiar behaviour is down to sheer drunkenness! Nonetheless, mud sticks, and absinthe still has a cloak of suspicion over it. It even took until 2007 to be reintroduced to America!

So, with drinkers now perhaps ready to embrace absinthe more than ever before, let’s take a look at the various styles being produced today.

What are the different types of Absinthe?

WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers What are the different types of Absinthe?

If you’re familiar with absinthe, you’ll probably be picturing it as green but there are actually two distinct types - verte is the green, and blanche is the uncoloured.

In short, botanical extracts of herbs and plants like wormwood, peppermint, star anise, angelica, coriander, and fennel are transfused into an alcohol base, which can be neutral, or grape based.

The result of this first distillation is the clear blanche Absinthe, sometimes called La Bleue and you’ll find a lot of it in Switzerland and France. It tends to have sweeter touches, smoothness, and less herbal complexity than the green which uses chlorophyll-rich herbs and plants to infuse extra notes and give the natural green flavour. Of course, absinthe of lower quality also uses artificial colouring to get this effect.

Whichever type you try, it will pack a serious punch, but if it’s well-made (like our recommendations below), you can usually expect a spicy-sweet liquorice flavour and herbal cleanliness to offset the kick of the alcohol.

How do you drink Absinthe?

How do you drink Absinthe? WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

Like tequila, absinthe’s reputation suffers at the hands of how it’s drunk. The high alcohol content draws in partygoers to shot it, but this makes the spirit more of a challenge than anything tasty.

A little icy water (3:1 Water: Spirit) creates a ‘louche’ which makes the spirit milky because of the oils. For absolute newbies, passing the water over a sugar cube drop by drop tapers the potentially challenging earthy bitterness, focusing instead on the sweetness of the anise. Similarly, the flaming sugar cube is a notorious way to serve absinthe but alongside a few fire risks, the caramelization destroys any botanical complexity and texture so we don’t recommend that... even if it looks pretty cool.

As with any spirit, however, the most accessible way is through the glorious drinkscape of cocktails!

Which cocktails can you make with Absinthe?

WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers Which cocktails can you make with Absinthe?

The complex intensity of quality absinthe goes a long way in cocktails, as you’ll find out if you knock up one of these three classics.

Death in the Afternoon

Death in the Afternoon WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

Named after Ernest Hemingway’s 1932 Spanish bullfighting book, cocktails don’t get simpler than this. He is even alleged to have created it himself so you’re in keeping with absinthe’s literary links through the years. Sparkling wine like Cava works fine instead of Champagne! A light, refreshing and fruity cocktail with a punchy herbal undertone.

Ingredients
40ml Absinthe
Champagne to top
Method
Pour the Absinthe into your Champagne flute and top with chilled Champagne. Stir gently to combine. All done!

Corpse Reviver No.2

Corpse Reviver No.2 WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

This is an example of absinthe being used for rinsing the glass, and one designed to pick you up from a hangover to go again! It sounds like that could go one of two ways…

Ingredients
1-2 dashes of Absinthe
25ml Gin
25ml Cointreau
25ml Lillet Blanc
25ml fresh Lemon juice
2.5ml sugar syrup (optional)
Orange peel to Garnish
Method
Rinse the glass with absinthe and discard. Add all of the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker and mix them well until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass without ice.

Green Fairy

Green Fairy WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

The Green Fairy is both a cocktail, and a general nickname given to the spirit. It’s packed with flavour from zippy lemon, bitterness from absinthe and angostura, sugar to sweeten it and some water and egg white to add silky texture. Delicious.

Ingredients
25ml Absinthe
25ml lemon juice
25ml chilled water
10ml Sugar syrup
1 dash angostura bitters
1 egg white (or 15ml aquafaba)
Lemon peel to garnish
Method
Add all the ingredients to a mixer and dry shake (no ice). Then, add ice and wet shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy! Garnish with lemon peel. 

Which Absinthe should I try?

Bareksten Illsint Absint

Bareksten Illsint Absint WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

You’re more likely to have heard of Bareksten’s Gin but the Norwegian producer has moved into absinthe with this sleek bottle representing the brooding forests there. That carries over into the spirit too, turning away from aniseed slightly in favour of earthy Norwegian forest botanicals to create a delicious complex, spicy-herbal blend.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 60%
Find here: £44.94

Morveren Absinthe

Morveren Absinthe WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

Made using Cornish wormwood alongside a host of local botanicals, this is a lip-smacking 66% but it’s intricate with it. There’s a lovely brightness to the lemon, with coriander bringing a touch of heat, subtle caraway, and herbaceous fennel. It’s named after a mermaid too, what more could you ask for?

Size: 350ml
ABV: 66%
Find here: £47.99

Jade 1901 Absinthe

Jade 1901 Absinthe WHAT IS ABSINTHE AND HOW DO YOU DRINK IT? The Three Drinkers

This is a top-end absinthe harking back to the spirit’s pomp by using a 1901 recipe from the Pernod Fils distillery in Saumur, France. The herbal aroma is strong from the off, and this continues on tasting where the mouthfeel is incredibly silky. Anise and fennel lead the way on a wine base for a delicious tingling and shockingly refreshing experience. If this doesn’t win you round to absinthe, then nothing will!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 68%
Find here: £71.74

If you liked hearing about absinthe’s shady past, then check out our guide to one of South America’s favourite spirits – Pisco!