Best Substitutes for Absinthe

Out of Absinthe? Here are the best alternatives that work in cocktail recipes.

Absinthe — spirit used in cocktails

Original Ingredient

Absinthe

Spirit 65.00% ABV Pronounced anise and wormwood on the nose with herbal complexity. Palate reveals fennel, hyssop, and melissa with a cooling menthol quality. Long, bittersweet, herbaceous finish.

Recommended Substitutes

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Pernod

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Anisette

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Ouzo

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Ricard

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

General Substitution Tips

  • Match the alcohol level: a 40% spirit needs a similarly strong replacement or adjust volume.
  • For liqueurs, dilute spirits + simple syrup can replicate sweetness and proof.
  • Citrus substitutions: lemon and lime are mostly interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.
  • For bitters, Angostura is the most neutral substitute for most other aromatic bitters.