Today, March 5th is National Absinthe Day in the U.S. Its became officially re-legalized back in 2007 after being banned in 1912. Absinthe is a much discussed and controversial spirit. It has been said to have contained hallucinogenic properties that have affected the creativity of such well known artists as Vincent Van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Oscar Wilde amongst others.
There’s a great summary of the history of Absinthe posted over at DrinkGal.com.
Here are 6 of our favorites Absinthe drinks, much thanks to Lucid Absinthe for posting these delicious recipes. You can find even more on their website.
1. Violent Femme
Ingredients
- 1 oz absinthe
- 1 oz raspberry liqueur
- 1 oz sour mix
- 2 oz ginger ale
- lemon wedge
Preparation
Combine absinthe, raspberry liqueur, sweet & sour mix in a cocktail shaker with 3-4 ice cubes. Shake vigorously for a few seconds, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
2. Hypnosis
Ingredients
- 1 oz absinthe
- 1 1/2 oz Hpnotiq
- 1/2 oz sour mix
- 2 oz lemon-lime soda
- lemon wedge
Preparation
Fill a glass with ice. Add absinthe, Hpnotiq, sour mix and lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
3. Van Gogh`s Garden
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz absinthe
- 1/2 simple syrup
- club soda
- 3 cucumber wheels
- 2 kiwi wheels
Preparation
Muddle the cucumber, kiwi and simple syrup in the bottom of a rocks glass. Add ice, then absinthe and top with club soda.
4. Southern Spell
Ingredients
- 1 oz absinthe
- 1/2 oz peach schnapps
- 4 oz ginger ale
- peach wedge
Preparation
Combine absinthe and peach schnapps in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a highball glass full of ice. Add peach wedges as garnish.
5. Absinthe Madtini
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz absinthe
- 2 oz vodka
- twist of lime
Preparation
Combine ice, absinthe and vodka in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lime.
6. Green Lantern
- 1 oz absinthe
- 1 1/2 melon liqueur
- splash of ginger ale
- 2-3 lime wedges
- 1 lime spiral
Preparation
Muddle the lime wedges in the bottom of a rock glass. Add ice, then absinthe, melon liqueur and a splash of ginger ale on top. Garnish with a spiral of lime.