How to Make a Hot Buttered Absinthe (by Adrian Foo)

Adrian’s cocktail is a fiery spectacle: Hot Buttered Absinthe, built on his own house-made chartreuse and finished using a dramatic flaming throw technique — where he pours blazing alcohol back and forth between two pots to create depth, texture, and theatre.

Note: Despite its name, the cocktail doesn't actually use absinthe, as it's used to concoct the homemade Chartreuse in this recipe (so yes, technically, the drink should be called "Hot Buttered Chartreuse"). If you don't have Chartreuse, you could do 1:1 absinthe and vodka, since absinthe can be too anise-forward for some people.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter - 1 pat

Lime juice - 15ml

Honey syrup - 20ml

Water - 40ml

Chartreuse - 40ml

Vodka - 15ml

Method:

You'll need 2 small pots with handles (a Turkish coffee pot works well) to make this cocktail. First, put the butter in the first pot, and in the second, add the lime juice, honey syrup, and water. Heat up the second pot until the liquid is hot, and pour it into the serving cup. Then in the same pot, add the Chartreuse and vodka. Separately heat the butter first, and then the pot with the Chartreuse and vodka. Once the alcohol is ablaze, pour the liquid into the butter pot (be careful with the flame) and pour the concoction back and forth between the 2 vessels. After 3 rounds, pour the liquid into the serving cup.

With experience from Jigger & Pony, Adrian brings his experience to The Suckling Pig in Penang. His Hot Buttered Absinthe transforms a classic herbal spirit into a rich, buttery, aromatically intense cocktail that’s as impressive to watch as it is to taste.