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Cocktail History
The Absinthe Frappé is a classic cocktail of unknown origin that was created sometime in the 1800s. It’s made with a simple mixture of absinthe, water, and simple syrup, and it became popular back when absinthe was known to be a good morning pick-me-up or apéritif before the spirit’s wide-scale ban in 1912.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Water: This is a colorless liquid that cools and stretches the recipe. We used chilled filtered water.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Lemon Wedge: This is a slice of a lemon that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Faint yellow color
• Aroma: Noticeable licorice
• Taste: Bracingly cold herbal flavor that highlights the absinthe’s anise notes balanced by sweet sugary syrup
• Finish: Sugar-tinged herbs
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐
Kendall’s Take: “If there is one spirit that I just cannot drink no matter how many times I try, it’s absinthe. I know many find its licorice flavor very pleasant, but I realized recently that it reminds me of the smell of the tanning oil my mom used during my childhood, and I just can’t get past it. For that reason and since this drink was literally just absinthe, a hint of sugar, and water, I couldn’t drink more than a sip. It’s very light and refreshing, and I can certainly see why folks like it. The Absinthe Frappé just wasn’t for me.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-03-24.
Absinthe Frappé
The Absinthe Frappé is a classic cocktail of unknown origin that was created sometime in the 1800s. It’s made with a simple mixture of absinthe, water, and simple syrup, and it became popular back when absinthe was known to be a good morning pick-me-up or apéritif before the spirit’s wide-scale ban in 1912.
Ingredients
Method
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Add absinthe, water, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass over fresh crushed ice.
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Top with more crushed ice as needed.
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Garnish with lemon wedge.
