Appearance: Absolutely beautiful in the glass. Just the faintest emerald hue amidst crystalline clarity.

Louche: Thin trails lead to a thick fog that keeps a nice separation between the louche and the top layer. This holds until 1.5:1 or so, then it's completely foggy with a hint of green.

Aroma: This is the downfall for me on this one. It's slightly spicy, but overly medicinal until the dilution is at least 4:1. Only then does the aroma balance out a bit.

Flavor: Slightly thin in feel, there are some interesting flavors happening in the background. A tad bitter (in a good way), a little spicy and fruity, works best if you let it sit in your mouth and warm a bit before swallowing. Nothing really stands out as a "wow" but there's not much to complain about, either.

Finish: Very dry with a lingering bitterness (again, in a good way).

Overall: Not a bad effort at all, but nothing that really stands out as superior over other brands.

I am quite grateful for the sample graciously provided me so as to keep my tastebuds busy, working for you.



The Color is bluey and a bit pale for me. The word is Verte, right? Not incorrect, but seems a bit weak to me.

The Louche is pretty quick to form. I got a lot less blueness than I expected from the color.

The Aroma before water is not unpleasant but a bit alcoholic and medicinal. After water it is actually more so, at least till 2:1.

The Flavor is not as sweet as I had been led to believe, but still....I can see where people are getting the Juicy Fruitâ„¢ flavor, especially in the finish, but I'm not quite there.

The Finish is persistent with a strange over or undertone that I'm not sure I want to identify.

Overall, it's not the fruity onslaught I expected, but that said, it's not really my style either. I am not sure what it is, the magic just ain't there when compared some other vertes I regularly consume.

Presentation (no points):

Interesting bottle for this absinthe, tall and skinny, which makes it fit on my absinthe counter well. Unfortunately it also means that it's only 500ml, which seems stingy. For reference, this review is based upon a brand new bottle, freshly opened.



Color (3):

The color was surprisingly light. A casual glance and one might mistake it for a blanche. It was clear and bright, but the weak color was a little disappointing for a verte.



Louche (4):

The louche came on immediately from a slow-drip brouille setup. This was somewhat anticipated based on the use of star anise, but it was even more immediate than expected. Fully louched, it looks like a blanche with the tiniest tinge of green. The louche was full and attractive and may have been in contention for a 5 from an actual blanche, but from a verte the lack of color was again a bit underwhelming.



Aroma (4):

The aroma from the bottle is primarily star anise to my nose, smelled neat it is much the same. While it has a fairly mild aroma from the bottle, once louched it changed completely. An entirely unexpected fruity aroma comes to the front. It's interesting and somewhat pleasant.



Taste (2):

I was really taken back by the taste of this absinthe. The fruitiness hits you up front, it's almost a confectionery taste. Others have compared it to Juicy Fruit gum, and I see the comparison. However, this is only the initial taste, half way through some of the more earthy wormwood flavors come in to play, and on my palate that seems to clash a little bit. Either one or the other would work on its own, but combined to be it tastes like chewing Juicy Fruit and eating a mushroom at the same time. Perhaps the analogy overstates my feeling, as I don't dislike this absinthe, but the flavor combination is a tad disharmonious for me.



Finish (4):

When the flavor clash subsides a bit, the mild tingle of the star anise and some subtle fruitiness remain. I actually prefer the finish over the immediate taste. The star anise did not produce an overwhelming numbness of the tongue, which I've experienced with other recipes which use star anise.



Overall (3):

By my estimation this seems to be a properly made, if unusual, absinthe. It has some very interesting flavors that I have not tasted in an absinthe before, which makes me glad I ordered a bottle as new tastes and different flavor profiles are what trying new things should be, and is what gives one a new experience. That being said, this would not be one of my preferred absinthes to have on a regular basis, as the flavors just do not coalesce in a substantially pleasurable way for me to complete the experience. Nevertheless, Taboo is a well made, unique take on absinthe that I think it is worthwhile to try.

I had fairly high expectations for this bottle when it arrived, and while at first glance (or glass) I was disappointed, I'm more appreciative of the nuances this absinthe offers now.



At first, the aroma was tremendously fruity, almost wine-like. The color was lighter than I'd like, and the louche moderately fast and layered, but not much action.



My mistake was to have that first glass with one sugar cube, as is my custom. I was immediately overwhelmed with Juicy-Fruit gum, sweetness, and very, very little else. I was ready to sink the entire bottle when I thought, duh! Try it without sugar and see.



Well, that's the answer as far as I can tell. Without sugar, and ignoring the still goofy aroma before water, the absinthe is transformed. The louche layers are more defined, although just as fast. Most importantly however, is the change in the flavor. Now instead of fruit being at the fore, it's just a background flavor, although still the foundation of everything that comes after. The majority of the flavor, and the finish, is all traditional absinthe now! Maybe not as complex as some and it seems to come all in one package, but its mostly there the way it ought to be.



Now I can finish my bottle and be happy!

The color is very light green with a touch of blue, the were a few particles floating around. The louche was very fast(star anise)and ends just off pure white. The aroma is very fruity(is this made with their eau di vie?)Flavor is very minty/spicy but really bounces around instead of everything working together. Finish is very dry, but with a pleasant wormwood bitterness that sticks around for a while. Overall I did really like this absinthe and hope that they continue to work on its balance.