Appearance: A “thick” but clear olive oil hue. The dead leafing denotes a natural coloration, as well as the possibility of over-coloring since this is a relatively new absinthe on the market.

Louche: The louche comes on quickly. There's the tell-tale blue hue at the meniscus and the absinthe retains quite a bit of the olive-oil color as well. It's pretty and translucent at the edges but definitely a bit thick in the center.

Aroma: Star anise front and center. Citrus and pepper notes aren't too far behind but other than that the aroma is pretty monotone and oddly weak for something that louches thick and is deeply colored.

Flavor: Just like the aroma the taste is star anise, citrus and pepper. It is very sweet on its own with no sugar needed for me. There are some floral background notes that contain the wormwood as well as some out of place vegetable notes that are not tails but something else. The texture is smooth and very creamy.

Finish: The floral notes bloom and last through the finish which carries a pleasant astringency. The finish is very pleasing in the way that the flavor and texture change, not to mention the wonderful sustain.

Overall: There's a very good absinthe in here with a wonderful finish that gets bullied out of the way by a heavy dose of star anise and odd vegetal flavors. Having learned more about distillation I can taste the quality and care that went in to crafting this product but the recipe itself seems to hold that back. One of the most frustrating things here is the rough that surrounds the diamond. If there are future batches with modifications then I can't wait to try them.

Appearance: A bit hazy, deep, olive green.

Louche: Creamy with lots of orange and yellow in the translucent bits. It's what I would consider to be on the heavy-side of just-right.

Aroma: The anise hits like a ton of bricks, backed by wormwood and some green leafiness of the lemon balm.

Flavor/Mouthfeel: It's very "green" flavored, aside from the anise, and I find it a bit difficult to get past. It comes across really bitter and over-flavored to my palette, but I have a really hard time eating things with too much "green" flavor (i.e. veggies). This is definitely not the same kind of over-cooked veggie flavor that occurs when an absinthe contains too many tails, more like the flavor of too much fresh green matter. I wonder if it's because of the coloration herbs, which seems to be a bit heavy and has already started to fade considerably, perhaps also having an effect on the flavor.

Finish: There's a good deal of sweetness on the finish and the lingering tongue feeling from the level of anise being used.

Overall: This is not a good absinthe for my palette, so it's difficult for me to pay attention to other details that may be in the absinthe when faced with such strong flavors. It needs a good deal more balance and I think a lighter hand during coloration, but it shows a lot of promise.