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@jason_wilson: What, conflicting or inaccurate information sent out in press materials? But that never happens!

Then again, I recall receiving a press release from a PR firm representing a prominent brand of vermouth, in which it was stated that vermouth was virtually identical to absinthe but had been legally available during the long absinthe ban. That one required an intense "WTF?" string of calls and e-mails. Turns out to have started as a translation error that led to a junior PR rep going freewheeling with the facts -- not that it was caught before the release was blasted to journalists across the country.

Thanks for pointing out your info, and for everybody else: this is how the editorial sausage is made.

@sidecar: it's been too long since I had a Voyager -- I agree, very tasty. Hmm, maybe we're due for a Drinkboy cocktail in the Time for a Drink column....

@chrisfurniss - the whiskey is not banished; as I mention, you can simply swap it for the rum or brandy (or both) in the recipe, if that's the way your tastes go. But really, try it some time with rum and brandy -- you'll see why so many recipes call for the combination.

@2ndstage - fantastic! Glad she liked it -- and nice improv with the dark brown sugar.

If you add the ice first, the clock is ticking, and every second it takes you to mix that drink means there's more dilution going on. While the ice is usually added first in the fast-paced environment of a bar, when mixing at home (or in a more leisurely bar, for that matter) you can better control dilution by adding the spirits and other ingredients to the glass first, then adding the ice just before you stir or shake.

Just closing the jar firmly is fine -- make sure all the solids are covered by liquid when you start off to ensure that no spoilage occurs.

Bobby,

After having good luck with a Fernet Flip and a Cynar Flip, I would absolutely try a Campari Alexander. I assume you're using a standard Alexander ratio, subbing Campari for the brandy? Damn, that sounds good--

Take care & hope to see you soon--

@franko - allspice liqueur is typically used as a flavoring in cocktails, in particular complex "tiki" drinks. It lends a touch of spice and depth, and in some drinks can bring a wonderful holiday kind of flavor.

Gary's always (or at least, for a long, long time) been known as 'Gaz' but I'm not sure why he decided to use the nickname for this book.

Haus Alpenz is handling the Smith & Cross; not sure of the distributor for the Chairmen's Reserve.

And yes, the Smith & Cross is a big-J "Jamaica" rum -- can't wait to dash some atop a julep.

Thing is, when I do get a hankering for a single malt, it's often for those big smoky monsters from Islay. The only single malt I keep in the house is Laphroaig, because when I'm in the mood for something big and flavorful, that's usually what I have in mind.

@Rhetor -- you're on.

In the above post, I wrote "2008 saw the release of several decent brands, along with a number of high-profile, incredibly crappy ones (likely the brands you’ll see spamming up the comments section, as is their habit)".

I noted this based on a number of sock-puppet comments I'd received on my own blog, remarking on an absinthe-related post and gratuitously name-dropping a particular brand of absinthe-style beverage. I doubt it was sheer coincidence that all of these comments originated with the same ISP, just as I doubt the coincidence that it's the same brand that's being touted in the comment directly above this one. Took them a while, but the marketers who employ deception in their bag of tricks finally got around to commenting here. I would have been disappointed with anything less.

@callmenaomi - sure, an absinthe rinse is used when making a Sazerac, and when absinthe or any other highly aromatic, potently flavored spirit (Chartreuse, Islay single malt, etc.) is used as a rinse, it can lend a nice touch to many drinks.

By coating the sides of the glass rather than simply adding the absinthe to the drink, you're making the ingredient perform more as an aromatic, so you get a nice whiff of the botanicals as you're taking a sip of the drink. Only use a little bit (a teaspoon should do), as you don't want the rinse to take over the flavor of the cocktail, but a light rinse can really flesh out a drink's character.

Another good rinse is to use a really smoky Islay single malt like Laphroaig to give a rinse to a cocktail glass before pouring a Manhattan. That smell of smoke and peat adds a nice touch.

Not to quibble, but the sugar-spoon thing isn't complete nonsense; unlike pastis, which typically comes pre-sweetened, most absinthes are bottled without sugar, and adding sugar to the spirit is not only traditional but completely appropriate.

Dripping the water through the sugar is an easy way to get the sugar to dissolve (sugar doesn't dissolve in alcohol nearly as easy as it does in water, though you can skip the step and just add simple syrup if you like your absinthe sweetened), and the water is a vital part of the equation: again unlike pastis, which is typically 40-45 percent alcohol, absinthe usually ranges closer to 60 or even 70 percent alcohol, so adding water is a must to make it palatable; it was never intended to be consumed straight.

While a number of improvised antics have been added to the preparation of absinthe to help drive sales, the sugar/spoon element is not only traditional, but actually serves a function.