Death in the Afternoon

The Death in the Afternoon cocktail, also referred to as Hemingway Champagne is crafted from a mixture of absinthe and Champagne.

The cocktail owes its creation to Ernest Hemingway, a luminary in the literary world celebrated for his venturesome lifestyle and impactful literary works. The cocktail’s name echoes his 1932 book, which delves into the ceremonial practices of Spanish bullfighting.

Hemingway’s penchant for the bold and the spirited found a new expression in this cocktail, which first saw the light of day in the cocktail book “So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon” published in 1935, and written by 30 leading authors. The recipe’s inclusion in this collection marked the official introduction of Death in the Afternoon to the world, offering a drink that encapsulates Hemingway’s love for life’s deeper flavors and intense experiences.

Hemingway’s own words serve as a testament to the cocktail’s intended experience: “Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” This straightforward yet precise instruction underscores the simplicity and depth of the cocktail, emphasizing the careful balance between the absinthe’s herbal complexity and the Champagne’s effervescence. The directive to enjoy the drink slowly is not just a suggestion for moderation but an invitation to savor the layers of flavor and the nuances that define this iconic cocktail.