A new liquor store opened up in the strip mall where I work so after work I took a tour of the place just to see what they had in stock. As I wandered the aisles looking at brands familiar and strange I spotted a legend. I've never tried absinthe before. Absente was the only brand that came in a small bottle (100ml) so I decided to try it. A little research online yielded a rough recipe.
I took a standard disposable plastic cocktail glass, added 15ml of absinthe, slowly added cold water until the glass was half full and then added 30ml of simple syrup. Stir well and enjoy.
The first impression of the taste was good and plenty candy from my youth. The predominant flavor is anise or licorice. The second impression was whoa this stuff is strong! At 110 proof even diluted this stuff has a kick.
I paired it with a bowl of Maltese Falcon. It worked since the flavor of the spirit would have overrun a less flavorful tobacco. I think I might try it with Key Largo next time.
I've found American sold Absinthe to be inferior to the European versions, which have more wormwood, but are harder to find (in US).
Good absinthe will not get you "drunk" but it will get you what the kids call "stoned," and I call stuporous; slumped me in a chair for a good period of time.....
Oh my goodness what an experience! If I were younger I would do quite a bit more of this, but my A1C's and my blood sugar level won't allow it these days. I will on occasion. As I said, "What an EXPERIENCE!"
@Ron191 Traditional absinthe is made from anise, fennel, wormwood, and alcohol, often with a variety of herbs added. It may not be hallucinogenic, but absinthe does have a very high alcohol content, 55 to 75 percent alcohol by volume, which equates to about 110 to 144 proof, compared to 40 percent ABV or 80 proof. At 55 percent ABV, your absinthe is at the low end. It's good you diluted it, in any event. The usual procedure involves a special utensil and sugar cubes.
Thanks for the information @motie2. I didn't know if I would like it so I bought the smallest bottle on the store and substituted simple syrup for the traditional sugar cube eliminating the need for the special absinthe spoon. I used a small pitcher to slowly pour in the water instead of the fancy dispenser that is built for the purpose. I'm cheap so if I can improvise or substitute what I have for something I'd have to buy then I'll do that.
On your other post does the cucumber taste linger? Cucumber and lime sounds refreshing by I have trouble with cucumbers fighting back. I still eat them it's just something I deal with.
Grand Wormwood can be poisonous. Absinth with Grand Wormwood (thujone specifically) was illegal in the US since 1912 up until 2007 at which time it was allowed, but it has to have less than 10ppm of thujone in it. A liqueur came on the market in 2000 with Southern Wormwood that did not have thujone in it. I bought a bottle when it first came out it was called Absente “Absinthe Refined”. It was pretty smooth when prepared in with the traditional sugar cube/ice water method. I have not tried any Absinthe with Grand Wormwood yet. As a side note, I have the Metaxa Ouzo which has a similar flavor, but it is not nearly as smooth as the absinthe. Water lets out the “Green Fairy” In Absinthe, and turns Ouzo to “Tigers Milk”.🙂
This evening, I had some VERY fresh Capt. Black Royal, enjoyed in an old Dr. Grabow Duke pipe, with some EQUALLY fresh, freshly-ground Dunkin Donuts Coffee blend.....with 3 German Shepherd pups staring at me sipping and smoking.....
Tonight I paired absinthe with a bowl of Key Largo. I backed the simple syrup down to 15 my from 30 my. Simple syrup is sweeter when sugar and it is easy to over do it. The addition of the cigar leaf makes a good counter point to the sweetness of the drink.
Tonight I tried Dupin Carolina Red Scuppernong wine with a bowl of Carter Hall in a Dr Grabow. Throwing and pushing two trucks back to back needs S little liquid relaxation. The wine is sweet and intensely fruity . It makes a good pairing with the Carter Hall. It also pairs well with a soft August evening with the thunder rolling on the distance.
Drinking a "modified" Paloma. I did not have the lime juice, so I added a touch of Lime salt. It's ok, but I think lime juice would have been much better. It's not a bad pairing with the D&R Ramback I'm smoking, but something else might be better. Not sure what though🤔
With everyone talking about spiced rum. I went out and tried it. Wow! I tried Barbarossa spiced rum with a little lemon. That with some EA Carey English blend #2. This was an awesome paring.
Had our monthly pipe club (CPCC) meeting tonight and a fellow member who does some home distilling brought some homemade cherry Bourbon, sounds weird I know, but was surprisingly quite excellent.
Sunday FunDay It's sooo hot I changed it up a little today. Drinking Vodka with sparkling lime water with my Savinelli and in it some Peter Stokkebye Luxury English with some red Virginia flake. While cooking "The Sauce" for our family dinner tonight.
Menu: "The Sauce" aka gravy Homemade linguine Fresh farm market beef and sausage for my meatballs Farm eggplant parmesan Fresh Italian bread Local red wine
Johnny Walker Red Scotch and water along with a pipe of Dunhill Nightcap are closing out the evening. It has bee a rough run up to inventory and I've earned a stiff drink. The Dunhill satisfies like a good cigar.
@PappyJoe -- I tried that one; it was a favorite among straight rums. I was diverted into spiced rum, where, after trying seven examples, I found "my brand."
Tonight it's Hamm's beer and 221B Baker Street. It's been a long week with our annual inventory and all the related craziness. That is over an it is time to kick back and relax.
Comments
A new liquor store opened up in the strip mall where I work so after work I took a tour of the place just to see what they had in stock. As I wandered the aisles looking at brands familiar and strange I spotted a legend. I've never tried absinthe before.
Absente was the only brand that came in a small bottle (100ml) so I decided to try it. A little research online yielded a rough recipe.
I took a standard disposable plastic cocktail glass, added 15ml of absinthe, slowly added cold water until the glass was half full and then added 30ml of simple syrup. Stir well and enjoy.
The first impression of the taste was good and plenty candy from my youth. The predominant flavor is anise or licorice. The second impression was whoa this stuff is strong! At 110 proof even diluted this stuff has a kick.
I paired it with a bowl of Maltese Falcon. It worked since the flavor of the spirit would have overrun a less flavorful tobacco. I think I might try it with Key Largo next time.
Good absinthe will not get you "drunk" but it will get you what the kids call "stoned," and I call stuporous; slumped me in a chair for a good period of time.....
Traditional absinthe is made from anise, fennel, wormwood, and alcohol, often with a variety of herbs added. It may not be hallucinogenic, but absinthe does have a very high alcohol content, 55 to 75 percent alcohol by volume, which equates to about 110 to 144 proof, compared to 40 percent ABV or 80 proof. At 55 percent ABV, your absinthe is at the low end. It's good you diluted it, in any event. The usual procedure involves a special utensil and sugar cubes.
On your other post does the cucumber taste linger? Cucumber and lime sounds refreshing by I have trouble with cucumbers fighting back.
That Cucumber/Lime sounds tasty.😋
Grand Wormwood can be poisonous. Absinth with Grand Wormwood (thujone specifically) was illegal in the US since 1912 up until 2007 at which time it was allowed, but it has to have less than 10ppm of thujone in it. A liqueur came on the market in 2000 with Southern Wormwood that did not have thujone in it. I bought a bottle when it first came out it was called Absente “Absinthe Refined”. It was pretty smooth when prepared in with the traditional sugar cube/ice water method. I have not tried any Absinthe with Grand Wormwood yet.
As a side note, I have the Metaxa Ouzo which has a similar flavor, but it is not nearly as smooth as the absinthe.
Water lets out the “Green Fairy” In Absinthe, and turns Ouzo to “Tigers Milk”.🙂
Mmmmmmmm......Life Is Good.....😏😁
DocZeus
Gazpacho with a finger of cucumber vodka.
I also tried mixing a finger of cucumber vodka in a glass with SWMBO's gazpacho. Freakin' outrageous!!!!
It's sooo hot I changed it up a little today. Drinking Vodka with sparkling lime water with my Savinelli and in it some Peter Stokkebye Luxury English with some red Virginia flake. While cooking "The Sauce" for our family dinner tonight.
Menu:
"The Sauce" aka gravy
Homemade linguine
Fresh farm market beef and sausage for my meatballs
Farm eggplant parmesan
Fresh Italian bread
Local red wine
COFFEE, TOBACCO AND SALT
https://www.alpascia.com/moments/en/detail/52/coffee-tobacco-and-salt
Barbados Plantation Rum with my bowl of Rum Flake.