Chill a champagne flute thoroughly before building the drink.
Pour 30ml of absinthe into the chilled flute.
Slowly top with approximately 90ml of well-chilled champagne, pouring gently down the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles.
Observe the louche effect as the absinthe clouds and swirls through the champagne - do not stir.
Serve immediately.
Hemingway published this recipe in 1935's 'So Red the Rose', instructing drinkers to add iced champagne until the drink attains the proper opalescent milkiness - the louche effect is not incidental but the visual centrepiece of the drink. Use a quality verte absinthe rather than a substitute pastis, as the authentic wormwood-forward botanicals are essential to the final balance.
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