Easy Absinthe Cocktails

Absinthe is an excellent choice for celebrating Halloween and All Hallows Eve! We have picked out some excellent absinthe-based cocktails for you to try. The names of these drinks really get you in the mood!

Absinthe tastes like black licorice. So, what pairs well with that flavor? It mixes really well with rum, vermouth, gin, blackberries, orange peel, and grenadine. 

You can have a lot of fun with an absinthe cocktail by serving it in a glamorous decanter. Also, you can create really impressive cocktail garnishes or Halloween-themed glass decorations. (Check out some ideas here.)

So dust off that cocktail shaker and let’s try a new drink today!

Obituary

This is a highly alcoholic beverage. We recommend drinking this with refinement (as opposed to gusto). Note that when preparing this cocktail, you may choose to mix your dry vermouth with an equal part of sweet vermouth.

You will need:  

• 2 oz. gin
• ¼ oz. dry vermouth
• ¼ oz. absinthe

Serves one. First, pour all the ingredients into a standard mixing glass with ice. Mix until the drink is blended and well-chilled. Strain into a chilled, fabulous cocktail glass. Serve and enjoy. Consider a little fake blood and vampire teeth on the glass to dress this up for Halloween!

Death in the Afternoon

This drink is pretty much as easy as it gets! A sweeter Champagne will make this drink a little smoother.

You will need:

• 1 ½ oz. absinthe
• 4 ½ oz. Champagne, chilled

Serves one. First, pour the absinthe into a fabulous glass. Then, top it with Champagne. We highly recommend serving these on ghost-themed coasters! Awesome skeleton goblet holders would go great with this drink, too.

Grindelwald’s Goblet

This is a fun Halloween cocktail! It’s bright green, very strong, and sweet! The combination of brandy, rum, blue Curacao, and absinthe will knock you off your feet. This recipe uses a lot of ingredients, but making the drink isn’t hard.

You will need:

• ¾ oz. apple brandy
• ¾ oz. gold rum
• ¼ oz. absinthe
• 1 oz. orange juice
• ½ oz. mango puree or juice
• ¼ oz. lime juice (fresh is best!)
• ¼ oz. Blue Curacao

Serves one. First, combine all the ingredients except blue Curacao in a cocktail shaker that is packed with ice. Next, shake to combine everything. Strain into a glass with ice. Then, top with blue Curacao. You can choose to leave it layered or gently stir it to combine. Consider using one of these bottle stoppers to top your liquor bottles to add some real style to the presentation of this drink!  This goblet would be a fun glass to serve this in!

Corpse Reviver

This is a classic Halloween cocktail that’s made with four different liquors. The light use of absinthe makes this a slightly less powerful drink than others on this list, with only a small hint of black jelly bean flavor.

You will need:

• 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 1 oz. gin
• 1 oz. Cointreau orange liqueur (or equivalent)
• 1 oz. lemon juice (fresh is best!)
• 4 spritzes or a rinse of Absinthe
• Lemon twist and Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Serves one. First, add the Lillet Blanc, gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice into a shaker that is packed with ice. Shake vigorously until cold. Next, you have a choice: you can either rinse the serving glass with absinthe by adding a small amount to the glass, swirling, and dumping the extra out. Or, you can strain the Lillet/gin/Cointreau/lemon juice mixture into the glass, and spritz the Absinthe on top of the drink. Finally, garnish with a cherry and lemon twist.

Necromancer

The hardest part about this recipe is stockpiling the odd liqueurs required. But the end result is a wonderfully floral, aromatic cocktail!

You will need:

• ¾ oz. absinthe
• ¾ oz. elderflower liqueur
• ¾ oz. Lillet Blanc
• ¾ oz. lemon juice (fresh is best!)
• 1 dash London dry gin
• Lemon Twist, for garnish

Serves one. First, pour the absinthe, elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and gin into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into an awesome serving glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Chrysanthemum

This one is stirred, not shaken.

You will need:

• 2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 oz. Benedictine
• 3 dashes absinthe
• Orange twist, for garnish

Serves one. First, add the dry vermouth, Benedictine, and absinthe into a mixing glass with ice. Stir with a spoon until well chilled. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the orange twist. Consider serving this on a bar tray, and use one of these awesome bottle stoppers to dress your bar up even more.

Green Swizzle

Unless you have an amazingly well-stocked bar, you are going to want to pick up a few specialty ingredients to make this drink. The green Crème de Menthe is what gives this drink its name. The minty liqueur blends perfectly with the dashes of bitters. The rum and Falernum give a nod to the Caribbean.

You will need:

• 1 ½ oz. (9 teaspoons) Bacardi Carta Blanca light rum
• ⅓ oz. (2 teaspoons) White overproof rum
• ⅙ oz. (1 teaspoon) La Fée Parisienne absinthe
• ⅚ oz. Difford’s Falernum  Liqueur
• ⅙ oz.  (1 teaspoon) Giffard Peppermint Pastille Crème de Menthe
• ½ oz. (3 teaspoons) lime juice (fresh is best)
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• Lime wedge and mint sprig, for garnish

Serves one. Pour all the ingredients except bitters and garnish into a chilled glass with ice. Stir with a spoon to mix. Add more ice to the top if needed. Crown with 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig.

Green Beast

This is a refreshing and light drink! Cut the chilled water if you want to give the drink more punch.

You will need:

• 3 slices seedless cucumber, peeled
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 oz. Pernod absinthe
• 1 oz. lime juice (fresh is best!)
• 4 oz. chilled water
• Cucumber slices, for garnish

Serves one. First, muddle the cucumbers and simple syrup in a tall glass. Then, add the absinthe, lime juice, and ice. Top with chilled water and garnish with additional cucumber slices. Consider this hilarious skull mug for serving this drink!

Flying Frenchman

This is an exciting twist on an espresso martini! When choosing your coffee liqueur, Kahlua is probably the most easily found. But an alternative is to look for the Leopold Brothers brand for both the coffee liqueur as well as the absinthe. They will pair very well together!

You will need:

• 1 oz. absinthe
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• 1 oz. espresso
• Coffee beans, for garnish

Serves one. First, combine the absinthe, coffee liqueur, and espresso in a shaker that is packed with ice. Shake until the drink is very cold. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with three coffee beans for some real pizazz.

De la Louisiane

We love this one because of the addition of the rye whiskey! None of the ingredients is particularly exotic, but the effect is definitely something unique and special! It’s like a sweet Manhattan but fabulously different.

You will need:

• 1 oz. straight rye whiskey
• 1 oz. Martini Rosso sweet vermouth
• ½ oz Benedictine D.O.M.
• ⅙ oz. (1 teaspoon) absinthe (recommended: La Fée Parisienne)
• 2 dashes of Peychaud’s (or other Creole-style bitters)
• ⅓ oz. chilled water
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

Serves one. Mix everything together in a tall glass with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

An absinthe-inspired cocktail is a perfect way to celebrate Halloween!

Everything about absinthe is perfect for Halloween and All Hallows Eve. From the history and the names of the recipes to the visual lime green elements, these drinks will get everyone in the mood to celebrate the autumn holidays!