Ive seen people setting fire to sugar soaked in absinthe is that traditional?
Not exactly! The French certainly did occasionally set fire to the sugar cube in the 19th century. Much the same as some bartenders will light a cognac on fire today. The ritual really took hold about fifty years ago in what is now The Czech Republic. It’s become so popular that now a number of absinthes are formulated to be “ritulized”. For instance, Tabu absinthes are made to be burned. I have met with them and they assure me that they formulate the absinth so that it will taste better with just a hint of caramelized sugar added. They sure do it right. Tabu Strong is one of our favorites. It has just a hint of chocolate and a deep, thick louche like nothing else on the market.
