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THE WAVERLY INN: ABSINTHE-MINDED MARTINI, WAVERLY SAZERAC _16 Bank St., at Waverly Pl.; no (useful) phone_ Graydon Carter’s semiprivate club carries over absinthe’s tradition as the spirit
of choice for the artistically inclined: from Rimbaud and Toulouse-Lautrec to… Well, we’re not sure who dines there; we don’t have that kind of pull. But if _you_ get in, your choice is
between the Martini (absinthe, Martin Miller’s gin, fresh sour mix, an orange twist) and the Sazerac (Sazerac rye, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters, dash of lemon). _$15 each_. STK: ABSINTHE
DRIP _26 Little W. 12th St., nr. Ninth Ave.; 646-624-2444_ STK, a lounge-inspired take on the modern steakhouse, does absinthe the old-fashioned way. The Absinthe Drip dilutes the spirit
itself with sugar and water. But this isn’t your semester abroad in Prague—don’t ask for it to be set on fire. _$18_. THE DOVE PARLOR: THE GREEN FAIRY _228 Thompson St., nr. W. 3rd St.;
212-254-1435_ The _faux_-nineteenth-century holdover Dove Parlor doesn’t get too complicated, either. The Green Fairy is one part absinthe, three parts water, a little bit of simple syrup,
and a pair of fresh mint leaves torn into the drink to release their flavor. Co-owner Jennifer Armstrong cites the cocktail’s delicate natural licorice flavor, herb flavors, and—of
course—its clean, clear buzz. _$15_. SUBA: ABSINTE MOJITO _109 Ludlow St., nr. Delancey St.; 212-982-5714_ Suba’s underground dining lairs are great places to imbibe absinthe while raising
the spirits of the liquor’s disreputable past. Absinte liqueur, Voss Norwegian spring water, and cane sugar muddled with lime, mint, and a touch of lemon juice make for a powerful punch.
“Limit of one visit to the ‘green fairy’ per customer,” Suba’s menu insists. “[W]e don’t want anyone cutting off an ear.” _$25_. PDT: CORPSE REVIVER NO. 2 _113 St. Marks Pl., nr. First Ave.;
212-614-0386_ Adam Platt recommends this “mind bending off-the-menu” cocktail along with “a generous helping of fluffy gold tater tots from Criff Dogs, next door.” PDT’s head bartender, Jim
Meehan, makes the surprisingly delicious sweet drink with Plymouth gin, fresh lemon juice, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, and just an absinthe rinse. Meehan says, “Corpse revivers were once an
entire category of drinks that were traditionally served as a hair of the dog. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the Corpse Reviver #2 being served at brunch, instead of mimosas and Bloody Marys?”
_$12_. DEATH & CO.: MORNING-AFTER FIZZ, JOY DIVISION _433 E. 6th St., nr. Ave. A; 212-388-0882_ First up is a twist on the Morning-lory Fizz, made with scotch, lemon juice, simple syrup,
a couple of dashes of Peychaud’s bitters, an egg white, and, again, an absinthe rinse. This tart cocktail is topped with soda water and ends up with a foamy dome. Off the menu is the Joy
Division, named by a regular: gin, dry vermouth, Cointreau, and two or three dashes of absinthe stirred and served up. _Each $12_. EMPLOYEES ONLY: MARTINEZ, BILLIONAIRE COCKTAIL _510 Hudson
St., nr. Christopher St.; 212-242-3021_ The thirties throwback Employees Only has no shortage of cocktail ingenuity, as demonstrated by the Ginger Smash and Fraise Sauvage. Their absinthe
offerings are further proof: The Martinez is Beefeater gin, maraschino liqueur, Bianco vermouth, and just a few dashes of absinthe bitters; the Billionaire Cocktail brings back the absinthe
bitters, and shakes it up with Baker’s bourbon, lemon juice, and homemade grenadine. _$13, $15_.