Le Tourment Vert
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2.0 |
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1.5 (14) |
Product Details
| Style | Verte |
| Degrees ABV (% alcohol) | 50.00 |
| Year of Make (if known) | 2007 |
| Country of Origin | France |
| Distiller/Manufacturer | Vinet Ege |
| Web site | http://www.distillerievinetege.com |
| Comments from the Maker/Distributor | Real French Absinthe with Wormwood. We are pleased by the positive response Le Tourment Vert is receiving in the U.S. We are working hard to meet growing interest in the product. Please feel free to contact Vinet Ege for information and if we are not available you may contact our importers in the United States, Vinet Ege Importers at
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Editor review
Not terrible, but not absinthe
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39 of 51 people found the following review helpful
A sample was generously provided by a friend.
The color is an artificial aquamarine. It reminds me of Scope.
The addition of cold water via dripper resulted in a very very thin louche.
The aroma isn't unappealing, but it certainly doesn't smell like absinthe. I get a lot of eucalyptus, some mintiness, and other medicinals, with a hint of alcohol heat in the end.
The flavor certainly isn't that of my definition of traditional absinthe (which is the dominant flavors of anise and wormwood). It's very sweet and minty with the overall flavor of eucalyptus. Again, the likeness of Scope is remarkable. It's drinkable, but not as an absinthe. More like a Rumple Minze or something similar.
The finish is nothing to write home about. It's all mint and sweetness.
Overall, this isn't absinthe in my book, and definitely not absinthe if referring to traditional and present (Swiss) definitions of absinthe. I might consider adding some to my espresso as a substitute for Fernet Branca, but I'd never drink this if I were in the mood for an absinthe. The most redeeming quality of this drink is the very enticing packaging.
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| Overall rating: |
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2.0 |
| Color: |
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2.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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3.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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2.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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User reviews
Average user rating from: 14 user(s)
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To write a review please register or login.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.5 |
| Color: |
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1.2 |
| Louche: |
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1.9 |
| Aroma: |
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1.7 |
| Taste: |
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1.7 |
| Finish: |
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1.4 |
| Overall: |
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1.3 |
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Skin Bracer
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Color:
The label lists dyes, and the blue is off putting.
Louche:
Limp, and barely noticeable.
Aroma:
Smells like old man's cologne. I seriously thought this was a gag product.
Taste:
Like an old man's cologne. It tastes like it smells, and reinforced my thinking it was a gag product.
Finish:
My palate isn't as refined as others, but I couldn't go past 2 sips.
Overall:
I'm still believing this is a gag gift, and was intended as a cheap man's cologne for people who want to feel like their living dangerously. I wish there was a '0' ratings option.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.0 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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1.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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I'd rather have a vodka/tonic (And I frickin' hate
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
In a moment of weakness and pure stupidity, I decided to purchase 750ml of Le Tourment Vert from a local Bevmo.
I have purchased only 3 bottles of Absinthe since I began drinking the delicious spirit in late September of this year. Every time I purchased a new bottle I decided to stick with my original choice, Kubler; I guess I should have known better to switch it up so early in the game. Allow me to explain myself more fully.
When I opened the bottle of Le Tourment Vert I was hit in the face (much like a brick) by a wall of alcohol, followed by a slight minty smell, followed by something similar to a mix of bleach and licorice, mixed with a little more alcohol.
After crossing myself, I looked down into the bottle and noticed a strange aqua color; a mix between neon blue and neon green. There is no natural substance I know of that will produce this sort of coloring so I am 100% positive that the coloring step was skipped almost entirely.
Upon the addition of water I noticed the color change from the strange mix of neon blue and neon green to a sluggish aqua marine. I could see directly through the glass, there was absolutely no louche what so ever (at least as far as I was concerned).
If there are any children in the room, please have them leave immediately; what you are about to read is extremely disturbing.
Shortly after downing my first shot of the Le Tourment, my senses were overwhelmed with a burst of alcohol and mint mixed with a bit of bleach, followed by a strange, booming and prolonged groan that seemed to come directly from my stomach.
I rushed into the bathroom, rinsed my mouth out with some scope (which strongly resembled the Le Tourment Vert, too much for comfort if you ask me), spit it out, poured a glass of Pernod and enjoyed the rest of my evening sipping on the Pernod and a bit of Kubler.
To some it up, this drink is not Absinthe. It is disgusting, toxic and has been found wanting.
I have since purchased a bottle of St. George, Obsello and Kubler and am currently awaiting their arrival so that I may flush this horrifying encounter with the Le Tourment Vert from my memory, entirely.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.4 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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1.0 |
| Aroma: |
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2.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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Not technically true absinthe, but tasty in its ow
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
This was my third venture into the world of absinthe and I'm still somewhat of a newcomer. I lucked up and got a bottle of this for $35 on sale at my local liquor store. Although its not technically an absinthe I think its getting a bit of a bad rap.
The color you will definitely notice is very altered (it even includes a sticker on the bottle identifying the food colorings added). I was a little taken aback by this initially. Its a beautiful color, but not the color of absinthe
The louche, as some have mentioned, is not very impressive. Just a slow turn to slightly cloudy. Its still retains the bright blue color even afterwards.
The pre-louche aroma is nice. Anise with some mintyness.
The post-louche aroma is mingled with all sorts of herbal goodness. The anise is light, but still detectable.
The taste is an easy, sweet, and an herbally complex flavor. I really enjoy it. It has a lasting mint flavor and is quite refreshing. Its very different from any other absinthe that I've had.
The finish fades quickly. Like I said, its very easy to drink, but no real lasting tastes, except maybe mint. I feel the alcohol is balanced well compared to some that have a harsh alcohol taste after.
Overall I feel its a decent absinthe like product. It may not be "real" absinthe, but its still a nice tasting, refreshing drink. I recommend trying it if you can get a bottle for under $45.
(edit)
I've changed some of my scores having a little more experience with some nice traditional absinthes. This is still a tasty beverage, but it really is a sad excuse for absinthe. Enjoyable in its own right, but terrible as an absinthe.
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| Overall rating: |
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2.2 |
| Color: |
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2.0 |
| Louche: |
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1.0 |
| Aroma: |
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3.0 |
| Taste: |
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3.0 |
| Finish: |
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2.0 |
| Overall: |
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2.0 |
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An intriguing drink, but is this Absinthe?
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Bottle purchased April 2008, review based on sample consumed December 2008.
This is an entertaining, if not authentic, drink. My wife brought it home from the liquor store, her having been talked into it by an employee that I assume has since been sacked. I read the reviews before I opened it up, and had a sense of gloom that my wife had been taken for a ride.
Tasting this "absinthe" didn't allay my fears. As many others have noted, it presents a blue-green Scope mouthwash homage. The pre-louche nose is bright peppermint, a very slight touch of anise, and sweetness. Nothing traditional in the nose at all.
A very weak louche can be coaxed out of the LTV with a super-slow drip of very cold water. The louche is very thin, and the color ends up a muted blue-green, as you might expect. The nose post-louche turns mainly mint, with all of the anise disappearing. Sweetness continues to present itself, and you continue to think of Scope mouthwash.
The taste is mint, with a fullness in the center of the tongue that reminds me of the "fifth taste" - umami. It's not definable, other than saying it's a full, round taste that fills out the mint. It's not an absinthe taste by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not unpleasant, either. It's just... weird.
Overall, you can't characterize this as an absinthe. It belongs, perhaps, in the liqueur category, because of the sweetness and the odd flavor. It also has a relatively low ABV (50%), which is obvious, as you never notice the alcohol. Perhaps this would make an interesting cocktail ingredient for something presented in a martini glass - the weak louche and minty taste might compliment a chocolate or lemon vodka?
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| Overall rating: |
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1.5 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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2.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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A Poor Quality Absinthe in a Gorgeous Bottle
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
When I first saw the bottle, I admit I had that "child on Christmas morning" feeling. What a great presentation. Unfortunately, my excitement receeded quickly when I opened the lovely cylindrical case in which it was housed and actually examined the bottle closely. The first tip-off that this was going to be bad was the list of artificial color dyes used: "Yellow 45, Blue 40," and the like.
The aroma from the bottle was shockingly minty, with a hint of spice, some undercut anise tones, and no readily detectable wormwood.
I prepared the glass 3:1 (water:absinthe), with one sugar cube and a drip. The louche came abruptly and engulfed the glass all at once, with no real subtlety of any kind. The color turned a bizarre aquamarine. Holding the glass up to the light I did briefly note some interesting tones near the bottom, but nothing too spectacular.
The legs on the glass were thin and quick to dissipate, leaving an odd array of oily spots. Overall it just looked messy. After a bit of breathing time, the smell from the glass was still not very complex; far too simplistic, in my opinion.
And, as expected, the taste was not dissimilar in nature: dull, no traditional wormwood bitterness, just some half-buried anise flavor under a menage of sugary, candy-like mint and clouded spice. After pouring the drink I realized I should not have used sugar, as there is more than enough noxious, artificial sweetener taste in the bottle itself.
I will say, however, that this failed attempt does have a fairly good finish. It's smooth with the right amount of dryness and a nice fade. But that is hardly enough to redeem the tragic shortcomings of the flavor, which prevented me from even being able to finish a single full glass.
My advice is if you're looking to pick up one of the few labels now available in regular US liquor stores, skip this one and go with the Kubler (a blanche) or the Lucid. The latter is not great by any means, but a far better choice than Le Tourment, which will, in fact, torment the drinker, though not in the way they might be hoping.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.8 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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3.0 |
| Overall: |
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2.0 |
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The Torment is all mine, thanks.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A 40ml dose louched with 200ml chilled water, no sugar was used for this review.
Color: copper sulfate solution.
Louche: thin oil trails that eventually manage to coalesce into a slight fog.
Aroma: Now. This is not an unpleasant aroma, but neither is it the aroma of absinthe. Cardamom/coriander-ish, with some lemon/flowery undertones a'la Avon Skin-So-Soft. Really kind of a pleasant aroma, but not necessarily like the aroma of something you want to *drink* with just chilled water and sugar.
Taste: please don't make me taste it again. It tastes like it smells: cologne-ish. Anise is missing completely.
Finish: Buy some sugarless minty gum. Chew it for 17 minutes. Put it on your bedpost overnight. In the morning, put a tiny tiny tiny drop of wormwood extract on it and chew it again: that's about it.
Overall: I read where the makers are marketing this as a drink additive, that is a better idea than claiming it tastes like absinthe when mixed with chilled water and sugar. It is a very complex flavor, and I do think it is a matter of balancing it with other drink ingredients: there are plenty of liquors that don't taste good on their own. Adding just 5ml of this will impart its flavor and some of it's color, and I can see where the swank mixologist could earn some points just for waving the ornate bottle over a libation. BUT, much sympathy for anyone who tries this as a "first absinthe experience". Much like losing one's virginity to a... well: something unpleasant.You can fill in the blank.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.6 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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1.0 |
| Aroma: |
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3.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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2.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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the things I do for you people...
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13 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Thanks once again for the generous(?) contribution of a sample.
The Color is blue. What gives?
The Louche is thin and neither here nor there.
The Aroma is like Aqua Velva. Or old Spice, whatever.
The Flavor is nothing like any real Absinthe I have tasted,straight-up Wrong. I don't even know where to begin.
The Finish is characterized by a quick receding, but it should be much more quick.
Overall, this drink should be avoided by anyone seeking a pleasant drinking experience. I couldn't even get a quarter of the way through this drink. I simply see no reason to subject myself or anyone else to this.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.2 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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Save Your Money
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8 of 12 people found the following review helpful
I gave this a 2 for color because even though it looks totally fake, it's kind of intriguing/different. There is a debate out there (not on this site) on whether this is absinthe or not. It is definitely not. Don't believe any bartender or liquor store clerk tell you otherwise. It has none of the characteristics of even a good synthetic (fake) absinthe. As everyone says, it smells and tastes more like mouth wash. It allegedly contains wormwood, but I couldn't taste it. One reviewer thought this product was all-around pretty comical; he obviously didn't pay for it. I wish I could've tried it first.
If you want an absinthe substitute, go with Absente or Pernod; both are considerably better tasting and at least a little bit like absinthe. I was unable to finish this drink.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.2 |
| Color: |
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2.0 |
| Louche: |
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1.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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The bottle is the only good thing here
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11 of 19 people found the following review helpful
The color is an aqua unlike anything found in nature. It looks like Ty-D-Bol.
The louche is almost non-existent. I worked very hard to coax even a faint louche out between 2 and 3 to one.
The aroma is dominated by mint and a sharp herbal scent like summer savory. A citrus note increases the overall sharpness.
At the start here is some sweetness from anise, but a ver strong minty/sage taste overwhelms everything immediatley therafter. Following that is a strongly herbal flavor (sage? summer savory?, thyme?) which really seems out of synch with the rest. A little bit of wormwood creeps through at the end.
The finish is a bit of mint, mothballs, and a lingering bitterness. Ultimately, this is an unbalanced, fragmented and unpleasant drink. Sugar actually makes it worse, as it makes the sage flavor and bitterness linger.
This is one that I really did not like at all. However, the bottle is really great. Buy it for the bottle. Put something else in it.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.3 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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2.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
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1.0 |
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Not like an absinthe
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14 of 24 people found the following review helpful
I received a sample of LTV from a friend. It was sent in an amber bottle, so I couldn't see the color. I poured out a 20 ml dose, and watered 4:1.
I actually laughed out loud at the color when I poured it into the glass. It's completely artificial. On that basis perhaps I should have rated it a "2", however the color wasn't green, but some kind of blue green, a turquoise color. After some thought, I'll keep it at a 1 simply because I actually laughed.
LTV louches, but ends up being kind of transparent in some ways, but in others it seems opaque. Like I can't actually see through it. If I hold an absinthe spoon in the middle of the glass of louched absinthe it is hazy, and on the far side of the glass I only see the spoon a little. There is no opaline character to the louche, but there was a nice band separating the louched from unlouched drink that went on for a while.
The aroma begins to tell you that something isn't right. Room filling but with a minty mouthwash aroma. There's no detectable alcohol aroma, just this head cleaning mint (eucalyptus I believe).
The taste. Laughing again. The flavors are very thin. Like a lightly flavored vodka perhaps. That mint aroma is very strongly there in the flavor of course. There are at least two other flavors that I notice, but they aren't familiar to me. A strong citrus note, lemony comes to mind. I can't give this a "1" as the taste isn't unpleasant per se. It really seems more like a mouthwash. There isn't any harsh alcohol burn, so that's good. Now it's effecting my nasal passages. Yes it's eucalyptus. I can see I'm not going to finish this glass of "absinthe". I am going to rate this a "1" as I drink a bit more the flavors become more unpleasant.
The finish recedes quickly (thankfully) but not quickly enough, so I had to rate this a "1" because it's so wrong. It's not like a finish of absinthe. There ends up being some bitter notes on the tongue. Not AA like bitterness, but more like you bit on a lemon peel. After a while there's some numbing on the outer gums which is definitely not normal. The mintiness of the eucalyptus gets on the tongue and into the nose. Now I hope the finish will go away because it's just not what it's supposed to be.
I don't detect any wormwood. Not much anise, or the eucalyptus so overpowers everything else in this drink that it's really eucalypte not absinthe. This beverage could be fixed. If the other qualities had been more absinthe-like, I could forgive the funny color. I kept wanting to give a "2" in a rating, but as I drank it, it became more and more unpleasant. This was true with the aroma, taste and finish. If the finish didn't linger so long (over the course of drinking it) it would be more tolerable.
I'd say overall it doesn't qualify as absinthe. As an absinthe it's unacceptable = "1". As an unusual beverage there may be people who will find the eucalyptus/mint flavor pleasant I presume. I did not. In the end I poured my drink out. I doubt I drank even 1/3rd of it. If you're looking for absinthe, you'll have to try another brand.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.3 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
|
1.0 |
| Overall: |
|
1.0 |
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What is this supposed to be?
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16 of 24 people found the following review helpful
I laughed hysterically when pouring it. The colour is extraordinarily artificial and absurd-looking. The louche action is slow, unspectacular, and comes out medium-thin. And still blue.
The aroma before louche is like mouthwash; minty and medicinal. It even has that nausea-inducing smell of artificial sweetener (I don't know if it really has that, but it sure smells like it). The anise is more like licorice candy. After louche it smells a little less like Scope and a little more like rotgut absinthe like Tabu. The medicinal fumes slightly burn my eyes.
The flavour is like a mentholyptus cough drop mixed with cheap licorice candy. The sweetener tastes artificial, hardening my suspicion. There is a bitter tang like copper that is really inappropriate and annoying; the only other dreck that claims to be absinthe that I've had that contains it is King of Spirits Gold. The flavour isn't remotely similar to absinthe at all and is quite offensive. The finish is dominated by that artificial sweetener flavour, degrading like the flavour of Listerine into a plasticky numbing at the back of the throat.
If this is legitimately absinthe then it's only by technicality. It really bares no similarity to absinthe in any way; all it is is mouthwash with delusions of grandeur.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.3 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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1.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
|
1.0 |
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Mouthwash
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15 of 24 people found the following review helpful
It's blue. It looks like Scope. It tastes like Listerine with a touch of wormwood bitterness. It smells like medicine. Despite the louche (which was a little weak), I couldn't detect the flavor of anise or fennel which may be there but overwhelmed by the mouthwash mint. This was disappointing.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.4 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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1.0 |
| Taste: |
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2.0 |
| Finish: |
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1.0 |
| Overall: |
|
1.0 |
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A cross between 1890s Absinthe and 1990s Absinth
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17 of 27 people found the following review helpful
The color is not natural-looking to me, and I wouldn't be surprised if this absinthe had artificial coloring in it (1/5). The louche was also very thin, and looked fake, for lack of a better word (2/5). Anyone who has had really good absinthe will know what I mean when I say that an absinthe's color and louche should seem herbal, thick, oily and nuanced - these qualities go a long way in setting the mood. This one was more like a vodka painted green that turned slightly chalkier when water was added.
The spirit is obviously grain, not grape-based, which makes this absinthe taste harsher and makes it more of a cheap knock-off rather than a recreation of what Van Gogh drank (2/5). The idea of adding eucalyptus is an interesting one, but ought to be tried by a distillery that puts more effort into authenticity. The mint was also far too strong, mint has a strong natural flavor that is too overpowering which is why those 19th century distilleries that used it used only very limited quantities - Pernod Fils had something like one bushel of mint per 10 kg of herbs, I believe.
There was no finish to speak of - literally as soon as I had sipped this drink, all the flavor was gone (1/5).
The only thing that makes me rate this absinthe 2/5 overall is the bottle, which has a very interesting design. Tourment Vert is the missing link between 19th-century absinthe and the "absinth" of the bars in Prague. It was obviously rushed for release on the recently opened American market, and the whole point of a ratings guide is to help people avoid wasting upwards of $60 on something that isn't even authentic. For people who are stuck with a U.S. brand, I would strongly recommend trying Lucid or St. George instead.
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| Overall rating: |
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1.5 |
| Color: |
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1.0 |
| Louche: |
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2.0 |
| Aroma: |
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2.0 |
| Taste: |
|
2.0 |
| Finish: |
|
1.0 |
| Overall: |
|
1.0 |
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Review of Le Tourment Vert
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28 of 36 people found the following review helpful
This Absinthe is distilled from grain and is partially "hand made" says Bruno Delannoy of DISTILLERIE VINET EGE SA. The color is an artificial green with blue overtones that is somewhat distracting. The louche began almost all at once, however, once it arrived it was first layered and then opaque, again having a bluish tint. I really have begun to like the aroma it's light and straight forward anise with background herbs one being eucalyptus. The taste is pleasant, although lacking somewhat in complexity. No bitterness or excessive alcohol, for some the Wormwood might be too far in the background. All in all I think Le Tourment is a different kind of French style Absinthe that will suit the American taste well, and the bottle it comes in is pretty cool too.
The Vinet Ege web site comments are misleading, I have spoken directly with the distiller who states that they are planing a step by step process to increase production to meet demand and that it is for sale and it will continue to be sold internationally.
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| Overall rating: |
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2.8 |
| Color: |
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2.0 |
| Louche: |
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3.0 |
| Aroma: |
|
3.0 |
| Taste: |
|
3.0 |
| Finish: |
|
3.0 |
| Overall: |
|
3.0 |
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The Wormwood Society is a non-profit educational and consumer advocacy
organization focused on providing current, historically and
scientifically accurate information about absinthe, the most maligned
and misunderstood drink in history.
