Appearance: A “thick” but clear olive oil hue. The dead leafing denotes a natural coloration, as well as the possibility of over-coloring since this is a relatively new absinthe on the market.

Louche: The louche comes on quickly. There's the tell-tale blue hue at the meniscus and the absinthe retains quite a bit of the olive-oil color as well. It's pretty and translucent at the edges but definitely a bit thick in the center.

Aroma: Star anise front and center. Citrus and pepper notes aren't too far behind but other than that the aroma is pretty monotone and oddly weak for something that louches thick and is deeply colored.

Flavor: Just like the aroma the taste is star anise, citrus and pepper. It is very sweet on its own with no sugar needed for me. There are some floral background notes that contain the wormwood as well as some out of place vegetable notes that are not tails but something else. The texture is smooth and very creamy.

Finish: The floral notes bloom and last through the finish which carries a pleasant astringency. The finish is very pleasing in the way that the flavor and texture change, not to mention the wonderful sustain.

Overall: There's a very good absinthe in here with a wonderful finish that gets bullied out of the way by a heavy dose of star anise and odd vegetal flavors. Having learned more about distillation I can taste the quality and care that went in to crafting this product but the recipe itself seems to hold that back. One of the most frustrating things here is the rough that surrounds the diamond. If there are future batches with modifications then I can't wait to try them.