TASTE: Snus and Absinthe

I really wanted to wait til my order of General Classic Licorice landed before writing this... but alas, my inventory is too large to justify the purchase (damn those sales, and their appeal to my thrifty--read: miserly--side *grins*)... and I'm just too impatient to wait.  Also, I figure a break is need from hearing about my DIYS project.  Anyway, this pairing feature is another for the booze hounds... where my favorite European tasty beverage meets my favorite European tobacco product.  That's right, we're going to give our snus some "green fairy wings" in this post.  For anyone unfamiliar with absinthe, it is a legendary anise (black licorice) and herbal spirit praised by artists such as Hemingway and Van Gogh... only to be later stigmatized and banned for nearly a century (longer in some places) due to driving people "mad".  Contrary to popular myth, absinthe does NOT make one hallucinate (or incite murderous rampages)... that said, the effects are quite different from any other alcohol I've tried.... in that, it does have some stimulant properties.  When drank responsibly, I find it tends to make colors (primarily red and green) a bit more vibrant... AND makes me a bit more social, but unlike common alcohol... it's an articulate, refined sort of social (vs. the typical obnoxious, "what happened to my pants" kind of social).  Take care when consuming en mass quantities... I'm a fairly big guy, who handles alcohol well... and I've blacked out (and conducted all manner of foolishness) on more than one occasion. Read: proceed with caution, and don't say I didn't warn ya.   To keep it simple, I'm going to recommend two brands of the green fairy: Delaware Phoenix Meadow of Love (MoL), and Kubler.  MoL being quite possibly the finest available for human consumption, and Kubler being hands down the best value (quality vs. price).  You won't go wrong with either of these.  If you're lucky, you might find Kubler in your local specialty liquor store ... but chances are you'll need to buy online.  Regardless of which you choose, the preparation is an art.  You'll need ice water, and (optional) sugar cubes/absinthe spoon.  DO NOT attempt to drink it neat (i.e. shots), it's HIGHLY concentrated shit... and you'll have an 80-90% chance of vomiting if you disregard this warning.   I suggest a 4:1 water to spirit ratio to start... maybe even 5:1 if you want to be conservative.... as the night progresses, I often stiffen them to 3:1... any stronger, and you're asking for trouble.  On to the art... start with a "dose" in your glass... a dose being an ounce of absinthe (2/3 of a shot), and SLOWLY, slowly, slowly trickle your cold water into it.  You'll see a beautiful louche (whitening/clouding) effect.  If you rush this process, the essential oils of the concoction don't open up properly, and you won't get the desired taste... it should take a minimum of 1 min to pour your water in.   If you want to go the traditional "ritual" route, place an absinthe spoon and sugar cube on your glass prior to adding water.  I find adding sugar unnecessary ... but it's fun to watch the cube slowly melt as your water drips, and likely should be tried at least once... for nostalgia's sake.  Once completed, you'll be met with a velvety-smooth, fresh/herbal/predominantly licorice beverage of pure yumminess... that drinks exceptionally well.  Given the anise/fennel notes, I'm going to start by recommending licorice snus to pair it with--my favorite being Roda Lacket... I know, I know... RL barely (if at all) tastes like licorice BUT absinthe does bring it out... licorice snus is far from your only option... herbal snuses line up well too--such as Lab Series and Tre Ankre.  Of course, "pure tobacco" snus (Grov, Ettan, GB Prima Fint) do very well with absinthe too.  In other words, there are a lot of delicious flavor pairings to be made with the green fairy.... and I can't encourage you enough to try some (assuming alcohol is your thing).  Regardless of your choice, you're in for a fine night of imbibing I guarantee... just be careful *grins*   Til next time, happy snusing!!!