ive always bought the cubed sugar for it, dip it in the absynthe, set it on fire on a spoon (there are special apparatus for it but im not that fancy) till it melts and drips in. swirl any undissolved sugar in with it too and away you go. never used water though. i think absynthe has a lot of hype about it but i dont think its as bad as everyone makes out. anyone tried the blue absynthe? thats pretty neat, but i cant find it in this country, got some in the european countries ive been to though