Meet Laura Pica, Brand Ambassador for Absente Absinthe Refined

Absente Absinthe Refined combines wormwood, star anise, green anise, lemon balm, mugwort, and peppermint and clocks in at 110 proof. Absente became the first authentic absinthe to be legally sold in the U.S. since the spirit was originally banned in 1912. There are currently only 10-15 distilleries making absinthe and each one uses a different recipe.

Absinthe dates back to the Roman Empire and was prescribed by Hippocrates. It was prohibited in the US in 1912, and in France in 1915 due to the inclusion of wormwood. After it disappeared from the market Pastis—a liqueur with lower alcohol and no wormwood largely took its place. The higher alcohol brings out more flavors from the alpine herbs.

It can be enjoyed diluted with sugar and water or to add complexity to variety of drinks including a gin and tonic and mojito.

We spoke with Absente’s newly minted Brand Ambassador Laura Pica (the Boozy Bartender on Insta) to find out how she ended up in the industry and what her role entails.

How long have you been a brand ambassador and where are you based?

I live on Long Island, New York but spend much of my time in The Hudson Valley in upstate, NY. I have been a Brand Ambassador for Absente for about 5 months and I look forward to keep evolving and growing alongside the company.

What attracted you to the industry?

Let’s be honest, it’s in my blood. As a lover of food and beverage culture, I have been in the hospitality industry my entire life. By age 19 I landed my first front of the house waitressing job at a corporate restaurant without any bartending experience. One busy Saturday night though, a bartender quit on them mid-shift and the bar was absolutely packed…that’s when they pulled me off the floor as a waitress and threw me back behind the bar to learn with seasoned bartenders. It was truly a sink or swim situation and luckily for me, that’s when I thrive. So that’s really how I learned…with three deep at the bar. It was exhilarating and it also served a deeper purpose for me.

It became a safe haven for me and was the first real place in my life where I was able to come out as gay and was able to be my authentic self while making a living and making friends.

I spent the next decade or so working my way through different bars and restaurants on Long Island and NYC and taught at a bartending academy for a while.

How and when did you get started as a brand ambassador?

Although I have been with Absente for only a few months officially, my role as an ambassador started way before that. I am constantly using my social media platform to educate about cocktails and ingredients and to bring awareness to interesting beverage brands.

For the last 3 years I have been able to take my knowledge and love of cocktails virtual and recently linked up with Absente.

What is most challenging about being a brand ambassador?

The most challenging part – and the one I appreciate the most about working for a spirit like Absente absinthe—is that it really is a unique taste. It constantly pushes my boundaries when crafting innovative cocktails to make drinks that are both aesthetically pleasing while remaining cohesive in flavor.

What are the qualifications for being a great brand ambassador?

A thirst for knowledge is key. You must have a passion to learn your product, and truly feel the need to delve into it. The deep appreciation that you gain with knowledge will make your job feel effortless and fun. You also must know how to network and promote yourself and your brand. I am a people person so that’s always been a part of the service industry that I enjoy and being a brand ambassador is similar.

When do you think a brand needs an ambassador?

I truly believe every brand needs an online brand ambassador. Being out in the field is important, but being behind the scenes is equally as essential in modern culture. The majority of consumers have social media. It is the leading source of how younger generations are discovering new trends, spirits included. It’s immensely important to have a strong online presence and to show your product and make visually appealing content so that they become familiar with your brand. The next time they see the bottle on a shelf they have that awareness of “oh, I’ve seen that bottle” and are more inclined to give it a try.

What does your job entail?

My job is mostly developing modern recipes and fresh content for Absente while discussing absinthe’s illusive past and addressing misconceptions about the spirit.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about brand ambassadors?

Most people think brand ambassador roles must be face to face, because that’s the way most traditional ambassador roles have been in the past. I believe though, that there is a niche for knowledgeable and experienced bartenders and mixologists to take that role into the virtual world.

What do you like best about being a brand ambassador?

I love being able to harness my creativity in the spirits world. Also being involved in teaching in an industry that I know so well and to be creating with a spirit that I genuinely enjoy is really cool. The fact that this particular spirit is still so misunderstood makes me want to continue doing my job. And don’t forget…my home bar is stocked with Absente. Need I say more??

What trends do you see right now in the cocktail/spirits world?

Our industry is evolving tremendously, especially now. While people will always enjoy going out for drinks, prices have risen – and many people took an interest in learning how to make their own craft cocktails at home during the pandemic. Now, I find that more people are opting to spend money on quality spirits to drink at home instead and this trend creates the need for more online education and knowledge behind the crafting of cocktails.

Are you responsible for sales, education or PR? Or some combination?

I am mostly in charge of bringing a creative perspective to Absente but I am involved in education too. I teach a virtual absinthe cocktail making class for people across the country that are curious about the spirit and answer monthly questions we get about Absente from our followers.

What’s one of your favorite cocktail recipes?

I’ve been REALLY into an Oaxacan Sazerac I made recently.

This variation is one of my go-to summer cocktails. It swaps the Rye whiskey used traditionally in a Sazerac for the smokiness of Mezcal and pairs it with agave syrup instead of sugar. I also rinse the glass with absinthe, like a traditional Sazerac but instead of discarding the rinse I keep it in the glass to add depth and flavor to the cocktail.

Oaxacan Sazerac with Absinthe

3-4 dashes Peychaud's bitters

1 bar spoon of Absente Absinthe

.25 oz Aperol

2 oz Mezcal (I used Bozal Mezcal Espadin)

.25 oz agave syrup

Rinse glass with absinthe and don’t discard. Meanwhile chill your cocktail ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, stir, and then pour into your glass. Garnish with an orange twist.