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Before exploring the depths of this story, let's understand how to make this enigmatic drink traditionally. The French method for preparing absinthe mainly involves mixing it with cold water and sugar. The classic recipe can be traced back to a cocktail book from 1908, which intriguingly begins with a biblical verse referencing wormwood, a key ingredient in absinthe, suggesting that it could turn waters bitter, leading to death. The method usually requires drizzling cold water over a sugar cube placed on an absinthe spoon, allowing the drink to turn murky—a phenomenon referred to as the "louche."