Kubler Absinthe Supérieure - US Release
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3.5 |
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4.0 (16) |
Product Details
| Available in the US? | Yes |
| Style | Blanche |
| Degrees ABV (% alcohol) | 53.00 |
| Year of Make (if known) | 2007 |
| Country of Origin | Switzerland |
| Distiller/Manufacturer | Blackmint Distillery |
| Web site | http://www.blackmint.ch/new/english/produits/absinthe.html |
| Comments from the Maker/Distributor | "Absinthe KUBLER" (well known by connoisseurs as "Fée Verte" or "Swiss La Bleue") falls back on the long tradition of the KUBLER dynasty who distilled this famous product in the Val-de-Travers (Neuchâtel-Switzerland) from 1863 until its prohibition on October 7, 1910. After 93 years of slumber, the Sleeping Beauty could be aroused in its historical cradle called Môtiers, capital of the Val-de-Travers, thanks to the decision of the Swiss Parliament in 2003.
Yves Kübler, great-grandson of the KUBLER brand founder, is the first distiller in the Val-de-Travers who can offer to you legally an authentic Absinthe from the region where Absinthe was invented end of the 18th century. |
Editor review
Just as enjoyable as the original
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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 10/8/07: Color is very bright and clear, as would be expected from a blanche.
Louche begins quickly and builds well, with nice oil trails, and a clearly defined layering effect. The heaviness of the anise definitely contributes to a quick forming, thick louche. Great to watch.
The aroma is herbal, light and refreshing.
Flavor starts out well, with a nice anise sweetness which finishes with an alpine wormwood bitterness. Simple, yet extremely enjoyable.
Finish is light and creamy. Doesn't last long. That could be uninteresting while drinking solely, but advantageous if drinking while eating.
Overall: To be honest, I can't pick out any glaring differences between this version, and their European offering. It's quite good. When I'm in the mood for a blanche, this will be at the top of the list. Given the fact that I can get it for so much cheaper than the European version, there's no doubt I'll be picking this one up at the local liquor store. This absinthe makes me extremely excited to see what's going to be coming into the states in the near future! OVERALL SCORE: 4.2
UPDATED REVIEW 9-13-08: As with my Lucid review, I was forced to update my original review based on a host of new products entering the US market. On a whole, this still is a great, everyday absinthe. It's not a stand out, but it's nothing I'd recommend passing over either. It's still very clean and refreshing. Great for summer days. Although my review rating has fallen because of the wealth of comparable products, I still like this one a lot.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.5 |
| Color: |
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4.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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User reviews
View all user reviews
Average user rating from: 16 user(s)
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To write a review please register or login.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.9 |
| Color: |
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4.8 |
| Louche: |
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3.8 |
| Aroma: |
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3.9 |
| Flavor: |
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3.8 |
| Finish: |
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3.6 |
| Overall: |
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3.9 |
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Finally Tried Kubler!
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
3:1 with no sugar...this doesn't need it.
Color was crystal clear with no sediment.
Louche was the highlight of this absinthe. A bit quick forming, but not overly so.
Really pretty smoky wisps swirled up from the bottom with a nice clear layer above.
Aroma was not all that exciting...anise and a mild herbal, but with a slight musky edge.
Flavor followed the aroma; mostly anise and a light spice, with the wormwood more in the back. Again, that light musky earthly edge, but not bad tasting, just not great.
Finish was a bit weak...no complex layers, and not a strong linger.
Overall, I can see this early entry into the US market a couple years ago being very exciting, but there are so many others now that I prefer I can't see buying this.
Certainly not bad, and a good intro for a beginner to get into absinthe.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.5 |
| Color: |
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4.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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Good Everyday Absinthe
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
Color: Completely clear pre-louche, pure white when louched with hints of a complex opalescence.
Louche: Quite fast but not bad. Show is over quickly. I don't know that this is a bad thing, but the finer louche-ing absinthes — I'm especially thinking of the Absinthe Duplais Blanche as a comparison, as it is a blanche — provide a more interesting and delightful eyeful.
Aroma: Nice, mild, certainly not overpowering. Anise and fennel are most apparent, other herbs are there. Bottle has fresh herb smell, alcohol is apparent but not overly intense.
Flavor: Grande wormwood, anise, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, coriander, star anise, artemisia pontica and mint are all in this drink, but besides the grande wormwood, anise and fennel I notice some hints of lemon balm, coriander and mint. Quite nice and fresh tasting. Benefits from using a smallish "dot" sugar cube when louche-ing.
Finish: Very nice! No bad aftertaste, the spirit base (made from wheat combined with herbs) seems quite clean and of good quality. The fennel and anise linger, grand wormwood numbs the tongue but thankfully takes its time doing so.
Overall: A good choice for people who would drink absinthe everyday. This is not a one-drink whopper type of absinthe. Rather, enjoying at least three glasses (no more than five) achieves what I expect from a good Swiss blanche absinthe: the requisite "trinity," a very good complement of fresh Swiss herbs, a pure spirit-base, and a fine feeling of vitality that does not degrade two hours later into a hangover. Again, the alcohol base seems quite clean. Not quite as excellent, interesting or refined as Absinthe Duplais Blanche, but what blanche on the American market is?
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| Overall rating: |
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4.0 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
4.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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The one I longed for, but will it withstand new co
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
40ml louched with 200ml chilled water, unsweetened for this review.
Color: It is perfectly clear pre louche. The color after louche is a fobby grey with nice overtones of blue and lavender. These overtones in the louche are what, to me, provide much of an absinthe's "mystique": an indeterminate billow of subdued color, coaxed from a perfectly clear liquid.
Louche: The louche forms quickly, but with some oil trails and interest. There is a clear layer at the top that is subsumed by the billowing louche from below.
Aroma: The aroma of the neat liquor is mild and warm. Anise is not overpowering, and well balanced. When louched, that warmth and mildness is broadened, the anise is not overpowering but "couched" in an herbal mist.
Flavor: The flavor of Kubler 53 (US Release) is well balanced with subtleties, tending towards sweetness. The anise is present in the nose with lifting the glass, and emerges nicely on the tongue when sipping, not overpowering. There is more sweetness than dryness throughout the sip, and the bitterness of the wormwood is present but not biting, "drying" just before the finish.
Finish: Finish is dry, with a fading anise sweetness. There is a bit of "soapiness" that is more apparent when unsweetened, and which is not apparent when sweetened. There is some mildness where the chilled water comes through more cleanly towards the middle of the finish, and then a nice woodworm astringence with anise and herbal atmosphere is left.
Overall: A mild, controlled and clean flavor throughout. Not aggressively sharp in any regard. Somewhat thin unsweetened, and so "gaps" are carried by sweetening, in the way the bottle suggests it should typically be prepared. A soothing elxir, as opposed to alcholically harsh or medicinal in the manner of the many of the US targeted absinthes to date, and a definite bargain in terms of quality vs. price.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.7 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
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4.0 |
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Pretty, Clean, Refreshing
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Color
Pre-louche it is perfectly clear and colorless. Louched it is milky grayish white with pewter highlights.
Louche
Starts out with thick entertaining trails, and clear delineation of louched/un-louched layer, but don’t look the other way. FAST! It all goes cloudy real quick, even with a relatively slow drip. If you wanted to belly up with a batch of popcorn and watch the show, you would have to drip so slowly that you’d never get to drink it! Fully louched by 1.5/1. Final color is very straightforward…nothing wrong, nothing compelling.
Aroma
All anise and fennel pre-louche. Post louche, anise really predominates. Wormwood and fennel are there, but definitely secondary. Not particularly complex (it’s the trinity), but very fresh and inviting. As the temperature of the drink comes up, the nose comes into better balance.
Flavor
Palate impression follows nose very accurately. Anise, wormwood, fennel, in that order. Clean and fresh, gentle, gentle drying from the wormwood. Really very pleasant and satisfying. The wormwood sensation, although dominated by the anise and fennel, builds gently in the mouth with each sip.
Finish
Follows palate very well. Nice soft drying on finish, and a little minty. Absolutely nothing wrong.
Overall
A very pleasant blanche. No surprises, no disappointments. Not challenging, but very refreshing. Solid. I would call this conventionally pretty as opposed to distinctive. I want this one around.
Revisit 7/04/09 - Most original observations persist, however I have lowered the scores for both Aroma and Flavor from 4's to 3's. A year of experience with this beverage, and my ability to detect a slight "off" aroma and flavor are the reasons for this. Also, in both categories, this absinthe doesn't quite exhibit the kind of completeness or complexity necessary to garner 4's. Still, an acceptable and refreshing beverage.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3/1, and no sugar.
Kubler 53 USA 11/06/08, 11/08/08, 7/04/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.2 |
| Color: |
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4.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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3.0 |
| Flavor: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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exelent as far as I can see.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
as color goes, well.... its clear. what more to say?
the louche was as expected from any real absinthe, but it was definitly fast. i suppost that could be a good thing however.
the aroma was very nice, not too much but definitly there. could possibly be a little stronger.
now for flavor. this is a tricky one. i found thie flavor somewhat different, but very good. on one hand there was a bit too much and it was almost overpowering. but on the other hand, i liked it, so it must be fine.
the finish was just right if you ask me. im not too fond of any drink that leaves you with the taste of it in your mouth the rest of the night. this was perfect, lasting maybe 30 sec or so after each sip. i enjoyed it.
this was my first blanche. i definitly enjoyed it, however it is a bit strong when mixed 3:1, almost overly strong. but at 5:1 its perfect.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.2 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
4.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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very nice indeed
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
The Color is crystal clear, an easy 5.
The Louche is quite quick to form, I am assuming because of the lower proof. A fountain helps, but set that drip slow and don't blink.
The Aroma before water is clean, crisp, a bit alcoholic. After water it opened up a bit, not particularly complex.
The Flavor is nice, not too sweet. Not too complex, either. Not that that's a bad thing, this is a definite cold refresher on a summer day.
The Finish is pretty quick. Nice, but pretty quick.
Overall, I like this one. More so than I thought I would. It goes down easy and will definitely see me leaning toward the Blanches this summer. At the price it will definitely be an always-in-stock brand.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.1 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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4.0 |
| Finish: |
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3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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Kubler births a blanche fan
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
This is my second absinthe and first blanche, opened two months ago.
Color: Clear. A blanche is a blanche is a blanche.
Louche: With a carafe of ice water and the steadiest of hands, the louche happens too rapidly for my taste. I could see a fountain allowing for a far more attractive louche, though without opals or pearls.
Aroma: Crisp and clear, making for a refreshing summer drink. The anise is far forward, as others have noted.
Flavor: With a half of a sugar cube, this is a treat! The forward anise is a pleasant flavor to play with on the tongue. After the two months of being open, the alcohol kick has mellowed and a subtle minty bitterness has come forward, balancing out the anise very nicely. Since these are the two main flavors I can detect, I would presume the minty bitterness to be wormwood. Note: My palate is still new to absinthe (still having difficulty discerning fennel), and is generally unaccustomed to bitterness, which leads me to sugar this brand.
Finish: It's over far too soon. There is a slight creaminess which only makes me wish it had more. The anise aftertaste is pleasant, and makes me want another sip.
Overall: The simple, straightforward aroma and flavor of Kubler make for an excellent absinthe for a beginner to learn some basics and to train the palate. With it this affordable for the volume (I paid $52 for the liter), Kubler is an great "everyday" absinthe, and I hope to always have some on-hand. Note: I have had difficulty finding the right water:absinthe ratio for my taste with Kubler, though it is possible that it shifted with the age of the bottle and as my palate has developed. This review was done with approximately 3.5 water to 1 absinthe.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.9 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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A quality, traditional La Bleue in the U.S.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Color: It's a blanche and it's perfectly clear.
Louche: Thick and opaque. Nice trails, nice layering but it builds too quickly.
Aroma: The fennel in Kubler is very forward and unmistakable. The fennel and anise are dominant. The wormwood is very subdued but if you really look for it it's there. I struggled with whether to grant this a 3 or a 4. I don't find it peculiar or unpleasant, but I do consider it unbalanced. I'll go with a 4 because while I don't find it interesting it certainly isn't incorrect or unpleasant.
Flavor: Pretty one dimensional. That anise and fennel overpower all else. It is clean and refreshing but a bit too sweet for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, but I couldn't drink too much of it at one time.
Finish: That creamy fennel comes out swinging in the finish and finally the wormwood makes it's presence known imparting a slight bitterness. All in all though not very complex and the duration isn't long.
Overall: This absinthe is all about the fennel. It's an herb I can discern quite easily due to chewing on it as a kid. I would find this product far more enjoyable if the wormwood profile was bumped up a bit and it wasn't as sweet. Still it's great to have a quality, traditional La Bleue on the U.S. market. The price point also makes it a good value - 1 ltr. for $60.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.7 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
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4.0 |
| Flavor: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
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3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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Kubler - Terrific Absinthe - Great Value
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Preparation
Kubler was my first bottle of a Blanche Absinthe and I was most eager to try it, and of course compare it to the many Verte Absinthe brands I've tried to date and for the most part really enjoyed. The open bottle was left to breathe for thirty minutes or so and a carafe of ice water used to dilute the Absinthe and develop the Louche.
Color Before Water
Crystal clear. Absolutely no sediment. There's the slightest viscosity to it, otherwise it looks and pours much like Vodka or any other crystal clear liqueur.
Aroma Before Water
I really love the aroma, but then I adore Fennel and Anise. I found the Anise and Fennel vapors the most strong and prominent. There are lighter notes which I found hard to place and even harder to describe. It's crisp and there's a far away hint of pine, as for the wormwood or any other herbal or botanical aroma I was hard pressed to perceive it. The heat of alcohol didn't seem to be as strong as I expected. All in all a nice scent, pleasant and uncomplicated.
Louche
Talk about a fast Louche! the Louche begins immediately upon the addition of water and expands dramatically fast throughout the glass. Like a thick white smoke it swirls and rolls, getting thicker and more dense until it reaches a milky white color with the faintest - and I mean faintest hint of blue. It does Louche but the speed at which it happens is a bit of draw back, still fun to watch though. Just don't blink your eyes or you'll miss it.
Aroma After Water
The Fennel and Anise still dominate. But those softer undertones of a Pine like scent were absolutely detectable. The aroma may not be dazzling, but it's appetizing and clean with nothing off putting or peculiar about it.
Flavor
Very sweet, but not in an artificial way. Again the Anise and Fennel really lead the pack and pretty much over power anything else. After a few days and a few tries I would roll the Absinthe around my tongue and it was here that I could pick up a bitter bite of Wormwood to offset the sweetness. I would venture to say that if they boosted the Wormwood a bit more up front, the taste would be more like a higher end Absinthe and less like Sambuca.
Kubler is still a very tasty palatable drink, I would avoid the use of sugar, even if this is your first glass of Absinthe as the natural sweetness is more than enough. This aside I find it delicious and the mouth feel that's very pleasant but perhaps a bit thin.
The Finish
Delicious, although the sweetness lingers it does give way to bit more complexity. Kubler is absolutely devoid of any funky or strange aftertastes.The sweetness does fade and leaves a taste of Anise and Fennel on the palate which is really quite nice.
Final Impression
Kubler is a fine Absinthe - is it top shelf? I wouldn't think so. However it's a quality product and makes for a tantalizing, refreshing drink. I would also say it's most reasonable price point of around $50 makes it an excellent buy as well.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.9 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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Best Value - Best Flavor
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Given the summer 08 market for absinthe in the US, I really can't recommend this brand enough, especially given it's the price/volume. The taste is very mild, but full. It finishes nicely, almost like a good wine. The aroma is very pleasant, but light, almost like there is something more to the drink, but my sense of smell is damaged. This one also has the nicest louche of the US-available brands.
I myself am partial to the blanches, and this ranks up there with La Clandestine. I also would recommend this brand to anyone that is new to absinthe. It's balanced flavor should give you a good feel for whether this drink is for you.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.7 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
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4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
5.0 |
| Finish: |
|
5.0 |
| Overall: |
|
5.0 |
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Best of U.S. first three brand releases
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0 of 7 people found the following review helpful
I love this absinthe! I find the taste, quality and value outstanding.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.4 |
| Color: |
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5.0 |
| Louche: |
|
5.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
3.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
5.0 |
| Overall: |
|
5.0 |
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Kubler
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
I really like this absinthe. This is my first clear absinthe and am extermely impressed. This is a great value considering the price, quality, and the fact that it comes in a 1 liter bottle. Does not burn my tongue as bad as some absinthes I have tried. I like to drink this one slowly and have a few glasses of it. I love watching the louche on this one because it literally looks like you are watching the top of thick rolling clouds. What is interesting with this one is after a few glasses, you start to see a light milkiness from the louche around the inside rim of the absinthe and I have not noticed this on other brands. I might say as of this writing my favorite absinthe so far.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.5 |
| Color: |
|
5.0 |
| Louche: |
|
5.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
5.0 |
| Finish: |
|
4.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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My first blanche...
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Like others, I struggled with how to rate the color of a blanche. Before water, it's perfectly clear, but I felt that awarding it a "5" would skew the rest of the review, so I settled on a "4." As water is added, the Kubler 53 gradually becomes a translucent, milky white, and the aroma is fresh and crisp and quite pleasing. However, I found the flavor to be a little one-dimensional, although it is nevertheless good and very acceptable. The finish is interestingly bitter but not overly so, and is pleasant enough even if not as complex as other absinthes. If Kubler's flavor matched its aroma and finish, I believe this absinthe would border on the excellent. Overall, I found the Kubler enjoyable, but I think there is room for improvement.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.5 |
| Color: |
|
4.0 |
| Louche: |
|
4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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American Release - Yay!
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Color: It's perfectly clear. It's a blanche for goodness sakes!
Louche: Nice and not too thick. It does get there fast, though.
Aroma: Clean, fresh and herbal.
Flavor: Great start! Not much in the middle but the wormwood lingers in the end.
Finish: Nice Wormwood and a bit of tongue-numb but more flavor would be better.
Overall: I like Kubler. It's a wonderful everyday absinthe and I expect to keep a bottle in easy reach on my bar. Welcome to America, Kubler!
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| Overall rating: |
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3.9 |
| Color: |
|
5.0 |
| Louche: |
|
4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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The first decent US-distributed absinthe
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
The US release of Kübler 53 reminds me a lot of a good arak. Well, the European one does, too, but I actually think this one is cleaner and better. The colour is perfectly clear. The louche is gorgeous but too fast, as anise is by far the dominant herb.
The aroma is very pleasant and typical of VDT blanches. A lot of anise wrapped in an ethereal, floral blanket. Wormwood is quite noticeable in the nose. Unfortunately it only barely carries over to the taste, which reminds me more of Razzouk arak than it does of any absinthe. It's anise, anise, and anise. At least it's really good anise, though, and not too sweet. Spicy and slightly camphorous. Wormwood is detectable with some effort, mostly as a floral quality on the roof of the mouth and then as a light, bitter kick in the long, anisey finish. The mouth-feel is creamy but too numbing.
The most noticeable difference between this version and the European release is the lack of the chocolaty, burnt taste that I found distracting in the latter. This is a lot more clean and appropriate tasting, although it could stand to have either the anise drawn back or the other herbs brought considerably forward. For absinthe, its suggested retail price of $49.99 without the added cost of courier shipping from Europe makes it very attractive. Yet it still costs 300% more than Razzouk while only tasting 30% better. A heftier wormwood profile would really help to fix that.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.1 |
| Color: |
|
5.0 |
| Louche: |
|
4.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
4.0 |
| Flavor: |
|
4.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
4.0 |
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|
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