10 Absinthe Cocktails for any Occasion: From Traditional to Trendy

Absinthe cocktails are a must for any cocktail enthusiast! The possibilities are endless when it comes to mixing this Green Fairy spirit with other ingredients.

If you're like me, then you're always on the lookout for new ways to enjoy Absinthe. That's why I've put together this list of 10 Absinthe cocktails for any occasion. Whether you're looking for something traditional or something more trendy, I've got you covered! These drinks showcase how versatile Absinthe can be, and they are easy to make in your home bar. 

Looking for non-alcoholic cocktail recipes? I have you covered here, too! See the end of the recipe list for recipes made with our Fairy Dust syrup instead of Absinthe. Fairy Dust syrup is a non-alcoholic, gluten free, small batch, and handcrafted syrup from my syrup collection. Fairy Dust was inspired by Absinthe and is made with fennel, anise and wormwood. All the flavor of the Green Fairy without any of the alcohol - and, of course, thujone free. Give it a try today.

For all the recipes I recommend using any of my Absinthes: blanche, verte, or barrel aged. As a guide, the blanche is best for a subtle Absinthe flavor, the verte when you want the Absinthe to be noticeable when you drink, and the barrel aged is delicious in sweeter cocktails such as our Abs-groni, a negroni with Absinthe in place of the gin.

 

 

Absinthe & Gin

1. Tuxedo No 2 - The Tuxedo is an “Improved Cocktail.” In 1876, an updated edition of Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tender’s Guide included an appendix with “Improved” versions of familiar brandy, whiskey, and gin cocktails. These variations took the long-standard, traditional pre-prohibition cocktail recipe and improved it with the addition of maraschino liqueur and absinthe. And you know absinthe is an improvement I can get behind!

Tuxed No. 2 Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce Absinthia Absinthe
• 1 ounce gin
• 1-ounce dry vermouth
• 1/4 ounce Maraschino liqueur
• 2-3 dashes of orange bitters
• Lemon twist and a cherry, for garnish

Steps: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry and a twist of lemon zest.

2. Obituary - is one of the few cocktail recipes that allows Absinthe to really shine. It offers the distinct taste of Absinthe by mixing Absinthe with equal parts dry vermouth. Obituary is basically a dry martini with a green fairy twist!

Obituary Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 1/4 oz dry vermouth
• 1/4 oz Absinthia Absinthe Superieure

Steps: Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass filled with cracked ice. Stir well and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

 

Absinthe & Tequila

3. Tequila Sour with Absinthe Rinse - Making a variation of a cocktail often means you are looking to give it an extra distinctive character note without competing with the balance. This is where the bartender trick of rinsing your cocktail glass with another liquor comes into play. Rinsing your glass with Absinthe adds the strong accent of Absinthe flavor and adds layers to the drink. In this case, Absinthe provides its distinct anise flavor without overwhelming the traditional tequila sour combination.

Tequila Sour with Absinthe Rinse Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 oz Tequila
• 3⁄4 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 oz Fresh lime juice
• 3⁄4 oz Agave nectar
• 1 Egg white
• Mole bitters
• Rinse of Absinthia Absinthe

Steps: Rinse a rocks glass with Absinthia Absinthe. Add all the ingredients except the bitters to a shaker, and shake without ice. Add ice, shake, and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with 3 drops of the mole bitters.

 

 

4. Corpse Reviver No. 5 -  The Corpse Reviver is a popular drink that has grown from one to many. It  belongs to a family of pre-Prohibition cocktails with Corpse Revivers No. 1 being the original way to wake or rouse a drinker from the dead. Made popular by the famous bartender Harry Craddock, the Corpse Reviver is now a widely known cocktail. No 5 explores the awakening spirit of tequila and replaces the wash of absinthe with a dash or two. 

 

La Abuela Ingredients

• ¼ ounce Absinthia Absinthe Superieure
  
• 1 white sugar cube
• 4 to 5 Thai basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• ¼ ounce yuzu lime juice
• 2 ounces añejo tequila
• Ice

 

Absinthe & Champagne

6. Hopes & Dreams - is my version of the classic Hemingway Death in the Afternoon. The original name has always felt too heavy for me, so I renamed it Hopes & Dreams. I like to think of Champagne as the Hope and Absinthe as the Dream. 

Hopes & Dreams Ingredients

• 1 jigger of Absinthia Absinthe Superieure
• Chilled Champagne

Steps: Pour 1 jigger of Absinthe into a champagne glass. Add the iced champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. 

Absinthe & Whiskey

8. A La Louisiane -  This cocktail has a rich history just like Absinthe does. It appeals to Manhattan drinkers with its base of rye whiskey and sweet vermouth. A La Louisiane originated from New Orleans’ restaurant La Louisiane. Adding Absinthe to the well known variation of rye and sweet vermouth makes the familiar Manhattan ingredients feel special. 

A La Louisiane Ingredients

• 1 oz rye whiskey
• ¾ ounce Benedictine
• ¾ ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/8 teaspoon Absinthia Absinthe Superieure
• Several dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

Steps: Fill a cocktail pitcher with ice. Pour in whiskey, Benedictine, sweet vermouth, and Pernod. Shake in bitters. Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry or a twist of lemon.

 

9. Faro Dealer - is a wonderful recipe by Gaz Regan, a cocktail pioneer and author of many compelling cocktail books including The Joy of Mixology.

Faro Dealer Ingredients

• 2 oz. rye whiskey
• 3/4 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 2 dashes Absinthia Absinthe Superieure

Steps: Combine ingredients and shake with ice until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Cheers!