Post #565185 by Mr. Moto on Mon, Nov 15, 2010 7:07 PM

On 2010-11-14 10:39, VampiressRN wrote:
I keep seeing that you should use cold filtered water. Is a cold bottled water appropriate? Should I use the sugar cubes that are made for Absinthe...or is that just a hype?

Bottled water is really only necessary if the tap water where you live has an "off" flavor that might adversely affect the taste of the absinthe. If your tap water is good, use it; if not, I like to use bottled spring water. And, yes, the colder the better. A carafe, brouilleur, or fountain filled with ice water that you can slowly pour or drip into the absinthe is ideal, but a sports bottle filled with water and stuck in the freezer 20 minutes beforehand will work. Any kind of sugar cube is OK; the Domino dots work just fine. Some folks find that properly prepared absinthe is sufficiently sweet on its own, however. I personally rarely use sugar. Try it with and without and see what you like best.

Regarding the My Oh My Ty. I've tried it (the recipe in A Taste for Absinthe) and it's actually pretty good. I did substitute Clement Premiere Canne for the La Favorite Blanc, Cockspur for the Flor de Cana 7 year, and Trader Tiki for the Premier Essence Orgeat, since that's what I had on hand. A little on the sweet side at first--largely thanks to the Creole Shrubb, I think--but it mellows as the ice melts a little. The Vieux Pontarlier (a nice, fruity absinthe) complements the rhum agricole, orange, and almond flavors nicely. I still prefer the Trader Vic original, but this is not a bad Mai Tai.

By the way, there are also recipes in this book for absinthe-fueled versions of the Dr. Funk and Ti Punch. Worth checking out!