Absinthe with sugar or without ? Explanation…

You know it as well as I do, everyone has its own likings and tastes. However, some differences can be explained, that’s why I’m going to make it clearer for you, why some people drink their absinthe with sugar and why others (the Swiss for example) find it exasperating to do such a thing.

In order to do so, I’m going to have to go back time a little. However, I just want to point out a few important things that I think are important to remind :

1. To “flambé” the sugar is part of the bohemian ritual and is therefore not classic at all. It may look pretty, it spoils the taste of absinthe by burning the alcohol and the aromas. So please, keep it for Czech absinthes !
2. It’s not because you add sugar to your absinthe (flambé or not) that it exempts you from adding water to it ! Indeed, water enables the aromas to expand (and will also prevent you from burning your throat and ending up by saying “wow absinthe’s too strong for me, I don’t like it!”)
3. If you drink your absinthe with sugar, use an absinthe spoon. Sugar doesn’t disolve in alcohol, and you won’t get anywhere if you add it directly to your absinthe.

Sugar and historic absinthe.

According to a number of texts and advertisements from back then, people used to drink absinthe with sugar already in the 1850s, and even maybe before that. There are three main reasons to that:

• During the XIXth century, people used to drink their drinks very sweet, whether liqueurs or other alcohols. It was the same with absinthe.
• Most absinthes are bitter (due to the essential oils produced by grand wormwood). Sugar balanced those bitter notes.
• Sugar helps all the aromas in absinthe to develop better.

French absinthes, Swiss absinthes: two different routes.

After absinth was prohibited (1910 in Switzerland, 1915 in France), many Swiss producers continued to distill absinthe illegally, whereas in France, the production ceased completely. That’s why the absinthes of these two countries are nowadays distinguishable :

• Swiss absinthes: their recipes have evolved in a century time, they have a lower alcohol level (often 53° ou 55°), and are very smooth (they contain less grand wormwood on the one hand, more anise and fennel on the other hand)
• French absinthes: their  recipes are issued from old production manuals, they are bitter and their alcohol level varies for most of them between 68° and 75°.

That’s the reason why you might here people say (particularly in Switzerland) that absinthe spoons aren’t very useful anymore !

You probably got it, the addition of sugar depends on which absinthe you’re drinking, but also on your likings !

Suggestions, for you to see the difference for yourself !

The best way to realise what the differences between two absinthes are (here between French and Swiss absinthes), is to try them both and see for yourself.

These are the two absinthes I recommend:

	1. the Clandestine: a Swiss absinthe, to savour without any sugar.
	2. the Abisinthe Amer: a French absinthe to savour with sugar.

Of course, many other absinthes would be perfect to show the difference. However, I think that you will have no more doubt after having tried these two. If you have questions on one particular absinthe, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Also, don’t forget that although absinthe is delicious, it has to be drunk moderately !

Cheers !