Black Flannel Academy

Death in the Afternoon

Absinthe · Sparkling
Death in the Afternoon cocktail
Photo: Arnaud 25 · CC BY-SA 4.0. “Mort dans l'après-midi 000.jpg”. Resized for display.

Absinthe is lengthened by Champagne, creating a strongly anise-led sparkling drink with a characteristic cloudy appearance possible.

DrinkBoy published specification · 1 reference serve.

Glassware

Flute

Technique

Build

Ice

None in serving glass

Garnish

None specified

Preparation effort

Low

Ingredients & measurements

Ingredient mL US fl oz Source measure / qualification
absinthe 29.57 1 1 ounce absinthe
chilled champagne 147.87 5 5 ounces chilled champagne

Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.

How to make it

Add absinthe to the glass, then pour chilled Champagne slowly.

Glass: Flute. Ice: None in serving glass. Garnish: None specified.

Flavor & balance

  • Earthy / Herbal (supporting): Botanicals, fresh herbs or the base spirit give aromatic plant character; this is not a basic taste.

Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.

Preparation & batching

Service complexity: low. Batchability: spirit components only.

  • Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.

Add carbonated ingredients at service; do not shake or store the finished fizzy drink as a still batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.

Spirit & ingredient choices

Style Role Evidence level Qualification
S072 — Absinthe base documented Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.

Recipe notes & variations

For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.

Sources & further reading

  • Robert Hess / DrinkBoy — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.

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