La Coquette - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Product Details
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Year of Make (if known)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Editor reviews
Cross-Dressing Verte
(Updated: September 12, 2012)
Overall rating
4.6
Appearance
5.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Color
Unlouched, amber-green tending toward olive drab (a little brown push). Not drab in clarity, however. Very clear, very natural and organic looking, with a strong level of color. Nothing phony baloney here, one of the most believable colorations I've seen.
Louche
Nice thick trails at first. Pretty yellow, gold and green reflections and highlights continue until the drink reaches 1:1, at which point it becomes pretty fully clouded, with a thin unlouched layer on top. Now here's where it gets interesting. Over about the next ½ oz of drip, the louched portion just visibly thickens up until it looks almost like you could eat it with a fork! I mean milkshake thick. This character holds fully through 3:1, on to 4:1. Final color is a creamy amber-green with yellow-amber highlights and a bluish-white at the meniscus. Good sheen and opalescence... assertive and masculine looking.
Aroma
Aroma neat is anise, immediately backed by wormwood, spiciness and a minty/volatile (phenolic?) edge. Very piquant. No heavy alcohol sensation... impressive considering this is 72% abv. Aroma louched at 3:1, forceful wormwood with an almost melon rind character, piquant, minty, volatile. Lots of spice and citrus. Very fresh, but very dense. I'm thinking this can take a lot more H2O. At 4:1 and nosed still, mostly wormwood with a high-toned spiciness (almost coriander like) and citrus. A little swirl brings the anise and fennel to the fore and in good balance. Still fresh, the wormwood starts out woody/spicy, and with swirling and air becomes more fruity. Densely herbal, almost primal. For fun I took it to 5:1. Spiciness reduces somewhat and a host of herbal and floral aromas, much more delicate, become apparent. I can't ID most of these, but I can tell this is something very special.
Flavor
OK... attack, very creamy/milky mouthfeel. Next, wormwood in spades. Anise and fennel are clearly present, but the wormwood is clearly in charge. Has a spiciness to match the aromas and a firm "pull" on the back palate. At 3:1, it's like chewing on herbs. At 4:1 better balance, somewhat less aggressive, but still powerful. Anise and fennel share the stage a little better. At 5:1 it reveals some pretty lighter herbal flavors and spice. Still not faint. In fact, I don't see this as feminine at all. Both flavors and aromas become more cohesive and balanced as temperature comes up.
Finish
Finish follows nose and palate perfectly. Ever so slight tongue numbing and a persistent drying. All flavor components hang so nicely, in good balance, and for a long time. Still that spice, and if you wait long enough between sips, the anise and fennel creep out to have the final say. Almost ironic.
Overall
Simply one of the best I have tasted so far. This really makes an impression. It does not seem like a "designed product", but rather a "created absinthe", catering only to the true connoisseur. Serious quality, seriously distinctive. Spicy, herbal, floral, forceful, and feral. Which brings me to the name. This is the first time I've ever felt just a little manhandled by an absinthe. Gets me to wondering if this is one coquette that just might be a cross-dresser.
7/06/09 Revisit - Holy S#*!... I haven't tasted this since my last evaluation of 11/27/08. This just comes at you like a freight train. I'm almost speechless! Not the usual fare and, as such, I'm leaving my original review intact, with exception of punctuation corrections to the best of my ability. With my current experience of a year of absinthe tasting, and 35 or so CO's tasted, I would have to say that this is one that doesn't exactly follow the rules. This reminds me of the most freakishly huge Barossa Valley Shiraz, in the wine world. For something very different and forceful, try it. But you'll deal with it on it's own terms! Oh, and if you don't want to get KO'd in the first round... try 5:1.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1, and no sugar.
La Coquette 11/15/08, 11/19/08, 11/27/08, 7/06/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
Unlouched, amber-green tending toward olive drab (a little brown push). Not drab in clarity, however. Very clear, very natural and organic looking, with a strong level of color. Nothing phony baloney here, one of the most believable colorations I've seen.
Louche
Nice thick trails at first. Pretty yellow, gold and green reflections and highlights continue until the drink reaches 1:1, at which point it becomes pretty fully clouded, with a thin unlouched layer on top. Now here's where it gets interesting. Over about the next ½ oz of drip, the louched portion just visibly thickens up until it looks almost like you could eat it with a fork! I mean milkshake thick. This character holds fully through 3:1, on to 4:1. Final color is a creamy amber-green with yellow-amber highlights and a bluish-white at the meniscus. Good sheen and opalescence... assertive and masculine looking.
Aroma
Aroma neat is anise, immediately backed by wormwood, spiciness and a minty/volatile (phenolic?) edge. Very piquant. No heavy alcohol sensation... impressive considering this is 72% abv. Aroma louched at 3:1, forceful wormwood with an almost melon rind character, piquant, minty, volatile. Lots of spice and citrus. Very fresh, but very dense. I'm thinking this can take a lot more H2O. At 4:1 and nosed still, mostly wormwood with a high-toned spiciness (almost coriander like) and citrus. A little swirl brings the anise and fennel to the fore and in good balance. Still fresh, the wormwood starts out woody/spicy, and with swirling and air becomes more fruity. Densely herbal, almost primal. For fun I took it to 5:1. Spiciness reduces somewhat and a host of herbal and floral aromas, much more delicate, become apparent. I can't ID most of these, but I can tell this is something very special.
Flavor
OK... attack, very creamy/milky mouthfeel. Next, wormwood in spades. Anise and fennel are clearly present, but the wormwood is clearly in charge. Has a spiciness to match the aromas and a firm "pull" on the back palate. At 3:1, it's like chewing on herbs. At 4:1 better balance, somewhat less aggressive, but still powerful. Anise and fennel share the stage a little better. At 5:1 it reveals some pretty lighter herbal flavors and spice. Still not faint. In fact, I don't see this as feminine at all. Both flavors and aromas become more cohesive and balanced as temperature comes up.
Finish
Finish follows nose and palate perfectly. Ever so slight tongue numbing and a persistent drying. All flavor components hang so nicely, in good balance, and for a long time. Still that spice, and if you wait long enough between sips, the anise and fennel creep out to have the final say. Almost ironic.
Overall
Simply one of the best I have tasted so far. This really makes an impression. It does not seem like a "designed product", but rather a "created absinthe", catering only to the true connoisseur. Serious quality, seriously distinctive. Spicy, herbal, floral, forceful, and feral. Which brings me to the name. This is the first time I've ever felt just a little manhandled by an absinthe. Gets me to wondering if this is one coquette that just might be a cross-dresser.
7/06/09 Revisit - Holy S#*!... I haven't tasted this since my last evaluation of 11/27/08. This just comes at you like a freight train. I'm almost speechless! Not the usual fare and, as such, I'm leaving my original review intact, with exception of punctuation corrections to the best of my ability. With my current experience of a year of absinthe tasting, and 35 or so CO's tasted, I would have to say that this is one that doesn't exactly follow the rules. This reminds me of the most freakishly huge Barossa Valley Shiraz, in the wine world. For something very different and forceful, try it. But you'll deal with it on it's own terms! Oh, and if you don't want to get KO'd in the first round... try 5:1.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1, and no sugar.
La Coquette 11/15/08, 11/19/08, 11/27/08, 7/06/09.
All evaluations had consistent notes.
M
Tasty!
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
This is a very good glass of absinthe. Very good anise and a nice complexity. The Wormwood lingers in the background (perhaps too much in the background?) allowing other flavors to play on the palate. Nice mouthfeel initially but becomes a little thin as the glass wears on. The color is a little dingy which makes for a less than sparkling louche but it is nice enough. There is a touch of a cloying flavor that compelled me to markdown the finish but after a few moments, I reconsidered...the finish is very pleasant (although the cloying flavor remains when I take another sip).
I enjoyed this absinthe very much. It is not necessarily a remarkable absinthe but perfectly drinkable and I am delighted to finish my glass.
I enjoyed this absinthe very much. It is not necessarily a remarkable absinthe but perfectly drinkable and I am delighted to finish my glass.
J
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
4.0
Colour before water is dark green, slightly olive. I don't think I'm doing anything different, but the louche is just the most fantastic I've ever seen. It started out average with a slow build from the bottom, but once it reached what I figured was the final thickness the fun really began. Even paler clouds began cascading from the left half of the side of the glass I was watching toward the bottom of the right half. The final colour is so solid and vibrant it's a tad surreal.
Before louche aroma is warm and fruity (specifically reminds me of pineapple) with a pointed anise profile. A tad medicinal. Some floral wormwood notes peek through. After louche the aroma still has a lot of fruit in it but has blossomed and smoothed considerably. Baby powder settles on the nose like snow. Sweet.
The taste is quite different than the aroma; it's less sweet than I had anticipated and considerably more bitter, though not unpleasantly or inappropriately so. Wormwood is more dominant than other herbs with anise falling behind even the fennel. Spicy instead of fruity. How odd it is that it tastes so different from how it smells. There is a funk I could do without; it's a bit off-putting. The fruitiness just barely reasserts itself during the underwhelming finish, during which the slightly numbed palate oddly dries out considerably.
I'm enjoying this but I definitely see it as one I'd have to be in the mood for. As of right now I enjoy looking at it and smelling it more than drinking it. I believe that's a first.
Before louche aroma is warm and fruity (specifically reminds me of pineapple) with a pointed anise profile. A tad medicinal. Some floral wormwood notes peek through. After louche the aroma still has a lot of fruit in it but has blossomed and smoothed considerably. Baby powder settles on the nose like snow. Sweet.
The taste is quite different than the aroma; it's less sweet than I had anticipated and considerably more bitter, though not unpleasantly or inappropriately so. Wormwood is more dominant than other herbs with anise falling behind even the fennel. Spicy instead of fruity. How odd it is that it tastes so different from how it smells. There is a funk I could do without; it's a bit off-putting. The fruitiness just barely reasserts itself during the underwhelming finish, during which the slightly numbed palate oddly dries out considerably.
I'm enjoying this but I definitely see it as one I'd have to be in the mood for. As of right now I enjoy looking at it and smelling it more than drinking it. I believe that's a first.
A
I'm so happy drinking this...
(Updated: May 13, 2009)
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
5.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color: No sediment. A very intriguing and inviting deep green.
Louche: Much easier to coax out a louche than its cousin, Belle Amie. Great trails start immediately, bringing about a louche that starts at the bottom and creates a fantastic layering. An attractive opalescence with hints of greens, yellows, whites and blues.
Aroma: Not as complex as I was expecting, but very clean and crisp. Anise pairs nicely with a touch of minty wormwood.
Flavor: Sweet (even without sugar) but not cloying. The spiciness of the wormwood is preceded by the anise, with touches of white pepper and veronica in the end.
Finish: Nice finish that coats the tongue and lasts a long time. It stays with you, urging you to take another drink.
Overall: Another enjoyable addition to the line. One of my favorites.
Louche: Much easier to coax out a louche than its cousin, Belle Amie. Great trails start immediately, bringing about a louche that starts at the bottom and creates a fantastic layering. An attractive opalescence with hints of greens, yellows, whites and blues.
Aroma: Not as complex as I was expecting, but very clean and crisp. Anise pairs nicely with a touch of minty wormwood.
Flavor: Sweet (even without sugar) but not cloying. The spiciness of the wormwood is preceded by the anise, with touches of white pepper and veronica in the end.
Finish: Nice finish that coats the tongue and lasts a long time. It stays with you, urging you to take another drink.
Overall: Another enjoyable addition to the line. One of my favorites.
User reviews
8 reviews
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.2(8)
Louche
4.5(8)
Aroma
4.4(8)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.4(8)
Finish
4.3(8)
Overall
4.3(8)
Difficult to define what makes this so good!
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.5
Finish
4.5
Overall
4.5
No sugar, 3.5:1 water ratio, absinthe rested in cool, dark place for 6 mos. prior to opening.
Color: Very deep olive green. My bottle has some sediment in it - which is not a big deal.
Louche: The icewater creates trails immediately as it hits the absinthe. The color turns a bit yellow as it is nearing the breaking point. I get the 'line' at the top of green absinthe. Finally, it turns a light green hue, as thick and creamy as they come. Lighter clouds rise up from the bottom of the glass mingling with more stubborn darker green streaks.
Aroma: The aroma has the subtle unidentifiable characteristic of the Paul Devoille absinthe - which I am positive I could call in a blind tasting. I like that aspect - I'll call it wine-like. I think it's the coloring herbs that really create a full aroma of fruit and flowers, although I can tell this is a very strong concoction.
Taste: Its actually a huge challenge for me to review the taste of this. At first, my impression was that this was a pretty darn bitter absinthe with most of the sweetness in the aroma, however, as I continue to sip, I notice it's just that it packs such a punch & has that aforementioned tart wine-like velvety feel. It's so well rounded in my opinion, it's difficult to say which is more forward, the wormwood & anise, or the other sweeter herbs.
Finish: The mouth feel is thick, coating my mouth with an 'classic' anise & wormwood bitterness. It is clear that there is only a little of that spicy/sweet additional herb in the finishing flavor. The alcohol punch & the sweetness in this absinthe seems to be in the beginning, not so much in the end.
Overall: I want to comment about the Paul Devoille aspect that some find off-putting. I mentioned I sensed an aspect present here that is characteristic of his work. What I call the tart and earthy, wine-like characteristic. I guess that's what some are calling 'vegetal.'(or perhaps that aspect coupled with angelica?) I know that Paul Devoille uses a unique method of distilling, and this reviewer is saying that it must only add to the overall quality, because I like this absinthe very much along with BDF & VDF. It is indeed very complex and a pleasure to drink.
Color: Very deep olive green. My bottle has some sediment in it - which is not a big deal.
Louche: The icewater creates trails immediately as it hits the absinthe. The color turns a bit yellow as it is nearing the breaking point. I get the 'line' at the top of green absinthe. Finally, it turns a light green hue, as thick and creamy as they come. Lighter clouds rise up from the bottom of the glass mingling with more stubborn darker green streaks.
Aroma: The aroma has the subtle unidentifiable characteristic of the Paul Devoille absinthe - which I am positive I could call in a blind tasting. I like that aspect - I'll call it wine-like. I think it's the coloring herbs that really create a full aroma of fruit and flowers, although I can tell this is a very strong concoction.
Taste: Its actually a huge challenge for me to review the taste of this. At first, my impression was that this was a pretty darn bitter absinthe with most of the sweetness in the aroma, however, as I continue to sip, I notice it's just that it packs such a punch & has that aforementioned tart wine-like velvety feel. It's so well rounded in my opinion, it's difficult to say which is more forward, the wormwood & anise, or the other sweeter herbs.
Finish: The mouth feel is thick, coating my mouth with an 'classic' anise & wormwood bitterness. It is clear that there is only a little of that spicy/sweet additional herb in the finishing flavor. The alcohol punch & the sweetness in this absinthe seems to be in the beginning, not so much in the end.
Overall: I want to comment about the Paul Devoille aspect that some find off-putting. I mentioned I sensed an aspect present here that is characteristic of his work. What I call the tart and earthy, wine-like characteristic. I guess that's what some are calling 'vegetal.'(or perhaps that aspect coupled with angelica?) I know that Paul Devoille uses a unique method of distilling, and this reviewer is saying that it must only add to the overall quality, because I like this absinthe very much along with BDF & VDF. It is indeed very complex and a pleasure to drink.
N
Wonderful and unique!
(Updated: January 05, 2013)
Overall rating
4.7
Appearance
4.5
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.5
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.5
Overall
4.5
This edit reflects the latest batch I purchased in 2012, which was aged in oak. It is simply amazing.
What a wonderful, delicious absinthe! The first thing I noticed was the deep emerald color, deeper than any I've had so far. Clear and chrystaline, natural and lovely. After louche it was the perfect shade of green. The louche was dazzling and enjoyable to watch. Swirls of smoke and distinct layers. Thick and inviting.
The aroma was really special as well, florals and fruit mix with the anise and wormwood. Gentle, fresh, and crisp aromas wafted up as water was added.
A lovely aroma, and I would have given it a 5 were it a tad more room filling.
Flavor...wow! So nice. Distinct and powerful. At lower dilutons like 3:1 or 3.5 :1
I found it a little too vegetal, but once I went to 4:1. and even 5:1, it opened up like a flower. Sweet, refined and balanced. The anise and wormwood are so well matched, the fennel right behind. The fruity and lighly spicy elements dance around in your mouth. Quality elements.
The finish was very clean and tasty. Plenty of fennel here, with fruity overtones and a delicious anise. A gentle build and slow fade. As I liked this absinthe at a higher dilution, the finish was not quite as strong as it might be at a lower one. I was close to giving it a 5
I really like this. I enjoyed it most between 4:1 and 5:1, with one sugar. This is an absinthe everyone should try.
What a wonderful, delicious absinthe! The first thing I noticed was the deep emerald color, deeper than any I've had so far. Clear and chrystaline, natural and lovely. After louche it was the perfect shade of green. The louche was dazzling and enjoyable to watch. Swirls of smoke and distinct layers. Thick and inviting.
The aroma was really special as well, florals and fruit mix with the anise and wormwood. Gentle, fresh, and crisp aromas wafted up as water was added.
A lovely aroma, and I would have given it a 5 were it a tad more room filling.
Flavor...wow! So nice. Distinct and powerful. At lower dilutons like 3:1 or 3.5 :1
I found it a little too vegetal, but once I went to 4:1. and even 5:1, it opened up like a flower. Sweet, refined and balanced. The anise and wormwood are so well matched, the fennel right behind. The fruity and lighly spicy elements dance around in your mouth. Quality elements.
The finish was very clean and tasty. Plenty of fennel here, with fruity overtones and a delicious anise. A gentle build and slow fade. As I liked this absinthe at a higher dilution, the finish was not quite as strong as it might be at a lower one. I was close to giving it a 5
I really like this. I enjoyed it most between 4:1 and 5:1, with one sugar. This is an absinthe everyone should try.
S
Unique La Coquette
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
The color is a deep green as in bamboo. The louche has considerable layering, thick and uniform. The aroma is of anise, fruity, and citrus with subtle wormwood notes. This is a delicious tasting absinthe, notes of fruit, citrus and wormwood. The mouth feel is balanced and smooth with some delightful creaminess at the back end. Finish is of fennel with excellent quality wormwood and anise. I really was impressed with the style of this absinthe. An absinthe to add to any collection for its unique qualities.
O
That exquisite coquette!
(Updated: April 18, 2010)
Overall rating
4.4
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
La Coquette is a delightful absinthe. Before water, it presents a lovely, dark peridot green, tinged with olive. I wanted to give it a score of 4.5, and I vacillated quite a bit before settling on 4. The louche forms nicely, with all the usual visuals, and ends up a thick jade with olive tones. Overall, the appearance of this absinthe is quite pleasing.
In the aroma and flavor, however, La Coquette really stands out. The fragrance is intensely herbal but fresh, clean, and not overwhelming. It opens up nicely with the addition of water. The flavor is likewise herbal and lively, but in no way grassy and without any wrong notes. This absinthe falls into the "herbal" rather than "spicy" category, but lacks nothing in the way of interest.
The finish is a trifle bitter, and might be improved with sugar, but even though La Coquette is not quite my ideal absinthe, I really would not change a thing. Do not miss this one!
In the aroma and flavor, however, La Coquette really stands out. The fragrance is intensely herbal but fresh, clean, and not overwhelming. It opens up nicely with the addition of water. The flavor is likewise herbal and lively, but in no way grassy and without any wrong notes. This absinthe falls into the "herbal" rather than "spicy" category, but lacks nothing in the way of interest.
The finish is a trifle bitter, and might be improved with sugar, but even though La Coquette is not quite my ideal absinthe, I really would not change a thing. Do not miss this one!
M
Writing This Review Makes Me Want to Have Another
(Updated: May 13, 2009)
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
5.0
Overall
4.0
Color- Very natural Green/yellow color. Deeper than an olive oil. Of coarse it's not a vivid peridot but I like the change of pace from the PF1901.
Louche- Great oil trails. At about 1/1 the reservoir is thick yellow/white & the top of the glass has thick white tendrils falling through the original unlouched color of green/yellow. Very nice.
Aroma- Citrusy with a medicinal wormwood smell. Light amounts of fennel, anise & other herbs I can't make out are present. Maybe the Citrus comes from coriander?
Flavor- Again it tastes like it smells. Fennel and anise in the background rounded out with the wormwood. Citrusy right off the top. I think the flavors could have been more 'rounded' or 'soft'. Maybe I'm just not as familiar with this flavor profile type.
The finish is probably the best part of this absinthe. The flavor stays on my tongue for what seems like forever. Citrusy (again) with a slight tongue numbing and 'bite'. The bite is just perfect however.
I really enjoyed this absinthe. I could see myself continuing to drink it on special occasions. Actually I'd like to drink it daily if the Visa balance wasn't so high..........
La Coquette was enjoyed with 3.5 parts water and a sugar cube.
Louche- Great oil trails. At about 1/1 the reservoir is thick yellow/white & the top of the glass has thick white tendrils falling through the original unlouched color of green/yellow. Very nice.
Aroma- Citrusy with a medicinal wormwood smell. Light amounts of fennel, anise & other herbs I can't make out are present. Maybe the Citrus comes from coriander?
Flavor- Again it tastes like it smells. Fennel and anise in the background rounded out with the wormwood. Citrusy right off the top. I think the flavors could have been more 'rounded' or 'soft'. Maybe I'm just not as familiar with this flavor profile type.
The finish is probably the best part of this absinthe. The flavor stays on my tongue for what seems like forever. Citrusy (again) with a slight tongue numbing and 'bite'. The bite is just perfect however.
I really enjoyed this absinthe. I could see myself continuing to drink it on special occasions. Actually I'd like to drink it daily if the Visa balance wasn't so high..........
La Coquette was enjoyed with 3.5 parts water and a sugar cube.
A