Absinthe Minded
Absinthe Traditionelle from Lawrenceville Distilling Co.
Aniseed, wormwood, and fennel. When talking absinthe, this is the holy trinity.
Every bottle of the spirit contains these three botanicals, which gift the green drink its signature, herb-forward, licorice-y taste. In the case of local absinthe-maker Lawrenceville Distilling Co., this holy trio is blended with brandy, distilled down, and bottled, making their signature 1129 Ridge Ave. Absinthe Traditionnelle.
Though the spirit has experienced a rise in popularity over the last few years, it's had an eventful past (to say the least). Absinthe, or, as it’s famously known, the “green fairy,” has been rumored to cause insane hallucinations; it’s even been banned from the U.S. because of its potency and potentially toxic nature.
But – as the distillery puts it, “sorry to rain on your parade” – absinthe does not induce madness or visions. According to their FAQ page, these false side effects are now attributed to alcohol poisoning and poor product regulation, leading to cheap variations with harmful ingredients.
(Another theory is that the wine industry, frustrated that drinkers were trading wine for the green stuff, started a smear campaign against absinthe. Their propaganda claimed that the spirit was responsible for violence, madness, and other dangerous acts.)
Lawrenceville Distilling Co., who launched their green absinthe in 2019, has even released a variation: absinthe rouge. Instead of absorbing chlorophyll from a bundle of hyssop, melissa, and wormwood for color, the spirit’s vibrant, luscious red comes from hibiscus. It gives the rouge spirit a more approachable, floral taste, rather than the powerful herbal qualities of the verte absinthe.
Both have plenty of uses. Try either absinthe the original way, prepared via La Louche, a process that slowly adds water to the absinthe, diluting the spirit and transforming it into a cloudy, floral-forward beverage. (A sugar cube is often included in this method. Water can be poured over the sugar cube, or it can be mixed in.)
Absinthe can also be used as a rinse to prime glasses for cocktails like the Corpse Reviver – a mix of gin, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and Cointreau – or the Sazerac, rye whiskey, Pechyaud’s bitters, and simple syrup. The current TABLE favorite, fully showcasing the spirit’s “big flavor,” is a play on the classic gimlet, using absinthe and lime juice.
Corpse Reviver No. 2
Ingredients
¾ oz. gin
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano is a great alternative)
¾ oz. Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
Absinthe, to rinse
Instructions
Chill a coupe or martini glass. Add all ingredients to a shaker, then shake with ice. Spray or rinse the chilled glass with absinthe, then pour and enjoy.
Sazerac
Ingredients
2 oz. rye whiskey
2-3 dashes of Pechyaud’s Bitters
1 tsp simple syrup or 1 sugar cube
Absinthe, to rinse
Lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
Chill a rocks glass, then rinse with absinthe. Combine sugar and bitters in a glass (muddle if using a sugar cube), then add the rye whiskey and ice, then stir until chilled. Strain into the absinthe-rinsed glass and enjoy.
Absinthe Gimlet
Ingredients
3 parts absinthe
2 parts Roses lime juice
Soda
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker, mix the absinthe and lime juice with ice. Pour over rocks, and add a splash of soda.