I'm familliar with Absinthe lore, but can someone describe its flavour?!
I'm familliar with Absinthe lore, but can someone describe its flavour?
Additional Details
2 days ago
And is it necessary to do the whole flaming sugar cube thing to enjoy the tatste?
Answers: 2 days ago
And is it necessary to do the whole flaming sugar cube thing to enjoy the tatste? NEVER light the sugar cubes on fire! Not only is it a safety hazard, but it will negatively affect the taste of the absinthe. That is not how absinthe was meant to be served. As mentioned above, it is merely a modern marketing trick that was employed by some bars to try to boost absinthe sales by making it a spectacle.
How I drink it is to put a shot or two of absinthe into an absinthe glass. Then place an absinth spoon over top of the glass with a sugar cube or two on it. Then slowly drip the water into the absinthe through the sugar cube which desolves the sugar cube as the water hits it. The water mixes with the absinthe and it begins to create the louche effect that occurs when water mixes with the absinthe. This is the traditional method for drinking absinthe, it is also the best method. The serving ritual and louche effect when mixed with water are all part of the overall experience.
(the sugar cubes are optional, or course. it all depends on your personnal preference) I've heard it tastes like black Liquorice(sp?) Strong black Licorice taste. It's like anise to me. Thick and sickly sweet. Also, the stuff I had was the "new" Absinthe that contains something like a 1000 times less of the wormwood chemical. Not worth it for me. Maybe if I could try the real deal Hollyfield I would try it again. Aniseed very very strong,(mouthwash)Wow but then your tongue goes numb or is it your brain... it tastes like licorice, but if you make the drink how you're supposed to it will have a strong flavor but wont be very sweet. And that **** is nasty! and expensive. I've heard that the sugar reacts with the absinthe to amplify the effect. It has a strong anise flavor...similar to that of black liquorice, but more herbal tasting due to the other herbs used in making it. The flavor of fennel is noticeable, and the wormwood adds its own subtle flavor, too. It has a very high alcohol content which requires it to be cut with water when it's served in order to bring it down to a drinkable strength. The water also releases the aromas and essences from the herbs...that's the "louche" or when it turns cloudy from this release. You can drink it straight, but that's not a good way to actually enjoy the flavors. It's not sweet at all, however sugar is commonly added to the taste of the drinker but it's not necessary.
However, fire shouldn't have any part of the serving. All it does is burn away the alcohol and make it a safety hazard. Fire does nothing to enhance the drink. It's just a marketing-inspired parlor trick. It tastes like bug spray. ever heard of the sugar cube. Maybe the sugar makes it taste less bad, although there is lots of suagr in absinthe anyway. Also perhaps the carbon from the burnt sugar helps filter the toxins out of it. Wormwood was traditionally used as an insecticide you know. The classical recipe tastes like licorice, but some varieties with a higher thujone content are just outright bitter--almost exactly like phenylbarbitol--YuuuCK!
The flaming sugar-cube thing does help improve the flavor some-what for the French varieties, but the blue Czech varieties are beyond helping!