Over the years, absinthe has earned many nicknames, including the green goddess, fremry juice, ABC shot, out of which the ‘green fairy’ is the most famous due to a myth about the spirit’s hallucinogenic properties. 

National Absinthe Day, March 5, was a day to dust off a bottle of absinthe from your bar and remember what you had forgotten. We bring you five award-winning absinthes; mix them in a cocktail, or drink them straight with ice — and see where they take you! 

1. Prairie Fairie 

The Prairie Fairie Absinthe, a great name appreciating the green goddess, is crafted by Quincy Street Distillery — a distillery that creates historically-inspired spirits based on classic and original formulas resulting in unique expressions of taste. This green libation is distilled from wildflower honey spirit, green anise, Florence fennel, and grande wormwood. The absinthe, in its approachable and Swiss-style, was appreciated by judges at the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards, where it was awarded 92 points, with a gold medal. 

As much as we love sipping the Prairie Fairie in its true form — green and straight, the spirit also pairs impeccably with a splash of bubbly.

Try the Death in the Afternoon, a cocktail inspired by writer Ernest Hemingway. 
Recipe by Liquor.com

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces Prairie Fairie absinthe
- 4 1/2 ounces chilled Champagne

Pour the absinthe into a coupe glass.
Top slowly with Champagne.

2. La Fée Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure

Hailing from France, the La Fée Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure impressed experts at the Bartenders Spirits Awards, fetching itself a silver medal with 89 points. Distilled using 100% natural ingredients, the spirit was created in collaboration with Marie-Claude Delahaye, founder, and curator of the French Absinthe Museum. 

Created to absolute perfection, the Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure is made using three artemisia plants, namely Grand (Artemisia absinthium), Petit Absinthe (Artemisia pontica), and Genepi (Genepi Artemisia), along with green and star anise, fennel, hyssop, and coriander. 

The versatility of this absinthe makes it a great base for many cocktails, like the Chrysanthemum. Try out this recipe by Epicurious.

Ingredients: 
- 2 ounces dry vermouth
- 1 ounce Benedictine
- 3 dashes La Fée Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure

Pour ingredients into a glass with ice and stir until cold.
Strain into a chilled coupe.

3. Little Green Monster 

If you go overboard with The Green Goddess, it can turn into a Little Green Monster! This silver medalist from the Bartender Spirits Awards is an absinthe worth pouring on its own or mixed as a cocktail. 

Little Green Monster by Shelter Distilling is inspired by the old world of Absinthe Verite of France, so we know it’s strong. At first sip, your mind starts to wander to fertile fields of green, to mountain peaks rising above the setting sun, to flowers drenched in blushes of red, purple, and blue. 

Try the Little Green Monster by making a Sleepy Hollow Cocktail by The Jewels of New York.

Ingredients: 
- ½ ounce Little Green Monster absinthe
- 2  ounces mezcal (Try Esencial Mezcal, 81 points, Bartenders Spirits Awards)
- 1  oz st. elizabeth allspice dram
- 2 dashes of angostura bitters
- Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Pour absinthe into a rocks glass; swirl to coat, and discard liqueur.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add mezcal, st. Elizabeth, and 2 dashes of bitters. Strain the cocktail into a glass over ice. Light rosemary with a lighter or culinary torch until smoking and place it in the glass. Serve immediately.

4. Holystone Distilling's Apparition Absinthe Verte

Apparition Absinthe Verte, the first legal Absinthe Verte in Utah is made by infusing grape spirits with wormwood, fennel, and green anise. It is then distilled before being infused with a blend of herbs and botanicals: the same methods and ingredients used to create Absinthe Verte 100+ years ago. This classic replica of the original Absinthe Verte was crowned with a silver medal (85 points) at the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards.

Holystone Distilling, the makers of this beautiful liquid recommend trying the Old Glory cocktail.

Ingredients:
- 8-10 blueberries
- 1.5 oz Perla Vodka by Holystone Distilling
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz Pinot Noir (Try Kalaris by Axios, 2020’s Wine of the Year)

Muddle fresh blueberries at the bottom of an old-fashioned glass and top with ice. 
Add vodka, lemon, and simple syrup to a mixing glass and shake vigorously until chilled. 
Strain over ice and blueberries. 
Carefully pour wine over a spoon into the cocktail to create a red wine "float."

5. Lyre’s Absinthe

We never thought we'd see the day, but here it is. If you want to sip on absinthe late into the night without feeling clobbered by it the next morning, try this one. 
This no abv silver medalist from Bartenders Spirits Awards goes all the way. The Lyre’s Absinthe is packed with licorice, anise and lemon, candy, fresh-cut herbs including nettle, fennel, wormwood — everything an absinthe is made of, except the alcohol. 

Try the Lyre’s Absinthe & Lemonade cocktail

Ingredients:
- 45mL Lyre's Absinthe
- 90mL premium lemonade

Build over a highball glass
Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge
Serve chilled