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.

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.

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!

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.

Color: A deep green. I was debating on whether or not to penalize it for being over-colored, but decided that it didn't quite cross that line. It's just darker than your average verte.

Louche: A nice louche. There is some decent layering and it doesn't form immediately. It obtains that opalescence we all love. Almost earns a 5 but I'd consider it a rung below that of the Edouard & Marteau.

Aroma: This is an entirely different lady than the Belle Amie. This one is more delicate. The wormwood and anise are nowhere near as prominent, and the floral bouquet found in the former have been replaced by more fruity, citrus notes. It's remarkable how little alcohol heat there is for something at 72%. There is this wonderful smell that supersedes all others, and I just can't put a finger on what it is. After thinking about it it came to me what it reminded me of... lemon lime jello. I realize that may not sound tempting, but believe me, it works.

Flavor: From a straight flavor standpoint, this is one of the most delicious absinthes I've ever had. That anise stays in the backround and those delightful notes of fresh fruit and citrus tease your taste buds. It does have that slightly vegetal quality characteristic of Devoille absinthes. (which I happen to like, btw), but it's very subtle and less prominent than it is in the VdF. Wonderful use of lemon balm. Now it hits me... could that lemon lime note be a combination of this and some other herb? The wormwood comes out to play as well, in perfect harmony with everything else. It doesn't demand your attention as much as it did in the Belle Amie.

Finish: Ah, there's that fennel. The fresh fruit comes along for the ride as well and the wormwood lets you know it's there, imparting an ever so slight, desirable bitterness. I didn't get any numbing sensation. I wouldn't describe the duration as long, but it hangs around for awhile.

Overall: I'm a big fan of this absinthe. It's flavor profile is very unique, in a good way. It's unlike any other I have had.