Got a chance to run my first absinthe at the weekend! just in time for my birthday yesterday
Here is the recipe I went with:
Absinthe batch #1
Macerate with 5 liters of 85% for 24 hours then dilute with 5 liters water and distill with low heat...collect 5 liters
250g artemisia absinthium
125g fennel seed
450g anise seed
30g coriander seed
20g Angelica root
10g hyssop
25g star anise
Colour 500ml distillate with:
10g fresh lemon balm
10g fresh mint
It went pretty well!! Took about 1 hr 45mins to collect 5 liters at 74%
Managed to make it all the way through withOut scorching my herbs or anything
The taste is pretty good! The colour is excellent! The only minor issue I have is that the louche is slightly weak compared to some of the images iv seen on here... It clouds up quite nicely but doesn't make it all the way to "milk". I'm guessing this is an issue with herb quality

perhaps il post some images later so you can see what I mean!
I realize The mint is not exactly conventional! But my dried hyssop was crap and I couldn't find any pontica! As it turns out I REALLY like the mint, along with the coroander seed it seems to cut through heavy aniseed flavours and delivers a fresher flavour. I find my gin always improves if i leave it for a month so a few weeks aged in glass and it will be a very nice drink! I spent yesterday drinkin "death in the afternoon", it was a very happy birthday
