We can’t sugarcoat this: you really do have to like absinthe to enjoy this drink, because it’s basically the only thing you’ll taste. But if you do, it’s a treat! The effervescence of sparkling wine lifts the delicate flavor of anise and makes it more floral and clean than usual, so much lighter and more airy.
Hemingway’s original recipe called for an ounce and a half (about 45mL) of absinthe, which is quite a lot; we like it at an ounce (30 mL), and we’ve seen recipes calling for half or even a quarter of that.
Plenty of recipe call for a whole sugar cube, but this really isn’t necessary unless you have a sweet tooth; a scant dash of simple syrup is plenty. Pick a sparkling wine at your desired sweetness, keeping in mind that absinthe has a bit of its own sweetness and anise liqueurs like pastis have even more.