Barrister Artemisia Absinthium

Description

The aroma is led by notes of bitter wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), anise, fennel and spicy herbs — a complex apothecary bouquet. The taste is dense, burning and many-sided, with a pronounced anise-and-wormwood profile, a light sweetness and a long warming finish. The classic Bohemian method: rest a spoon holding a sugar cube on the rim of a tulip or rocks glass and slowly pour ice water over the sugar, one part to three or five — the drink turns cloudy (the louche) and the wormwood softens. In the French ritual the water drips onto the sugar from an absinthe fountain. Neat it is served rarely, and only well chilled in small measures, because of its strength; in cocktails it is used by the drop or in small amounts for its anise-wormwood aroma (Sazerac, Death in the Afternoon). The bitterness is balanced by that same serving sugar, and for food it suits chocolate truffles, slices of green apple and citrus, olives and blue cheeses.