Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Absinthe

Exquisite absinthe flavour pairings and recipes, revealed through data science.

Absinthe is defined by the unmistakable flavours of liquorice and fennel, woven with delicate hints of resin, camphor, and gentian root. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. The key to an exceptional harmony lies in recognising how these notes harmonise and interact.

To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our findings reveal, for instance, how sea salt's oceanic tones can enrich absinthe, or how club soda's acetic notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the sweet-spicy aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. herbal, spice, and earthy) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

The Flavour Code

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Liquorice Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between liquorice and vinegar flavours. Since absinthe has a distinct liquorice flavour, try pairing it with the vinegary flavours of club soda.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing absinthe with club soda.

Harmonious Flavours Of Absinthe

Just as our analysis indicated that liquorice and oceanic flavours are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in absinthe. For instance, the fennel accents of absinthe are strongly associated with petrichor and spinachy accents.

The aroma accents associated with the various aromas of absinthe can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of sea salt offers many of the aroma notes complementary to absinthe, including oceanic and ferrous notes. Because the flavour profile of sea salt has many of the of the features that are complementary to absinthe, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of sea salt across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with absinthe.

Recipes That Pair Absinthe With Sea Salt

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of absinthe, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of absinthe, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to absinthe.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Absinthe), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.