Blanchette - Reviewed by Experts and Consumers at The Wormwood Society
Product Details
Style/Color
Degrees ABV (% alcohol)
Country of Origin
Distillery
Website
Editor reviews
Session Blanche
Overall rating
3.8
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
The blanche is not quite clear in colour; it has a slight cream or yellow tint. In addition it has a lot of floaties. Why would a blanche have sediment?
The aroma before water is wormwood-heavy with a good bit of alcoholic heat. Slight caramel aroma.
Louche is at full thickness at 1:1, and becomes almost opaque. A spoon in the glass is barely visible. Has a very slight yellow tint but is otherwise very attractive.
After water the aroma is softer and much more balanced. Anise and fennel have come forward but wormwood remains dominant. Smells sweet and floral with slight mintiness.
Flavour is a minty wormwood blast and is shockingly sweet without sugar with almost no bitterness to speak of. The anise is of excellent quality and stands high without dominating. In music engineering terms, both herbs are very high in the mix. The caramel aroma doesn't translate to the flavour. It is refreshing and delicious but beyond some citrus and earth notes, it's not terribly complex.
The mouth-feel is fairly crisp with a very slight oiliness. Not too much numbing. The finish is long and earthy, almost nutty.
Definitely a fine, spring or summer afternoon, session absinthe.
The aroma before water is wormwood-heavy with a good bit of alcoholic heat. Slight caramel aroma.
Louche is at full thickness at 1:1, and becomes almost opaque. A spoon in the glass is barely visible. Has a very slight yellow tint but is otherwise very attractive.
After water the aroma is softer and much more balanced. Anise and fennel have come forward but wormwood remains dominant. Smells sweet and floral with slight mintiness.
Flavour is a minty wormwood blast and is shockingly sweet without sugar with almost no bitterness to speak of. The anise is of excellent quality and stands high without dominating. In music engineering terms, both herbs are very high in the mix. The caramel aroma doesn't translate to the flavour. It is refreshing and delicious but beyond some citrus and earth notes, it's not terribly complex.
The mouth-feel is fairly crisp with a very slight oiliness. Not too much numbing. The finish is long and earthy, almost nutty.
Definitely a fine, spring or summer afternoon, session absinthe.
A
A Blanche Of A Different Color
(Updated: June 19, 2012)
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color
Unlouched, clear with a slight tinge of gold/bronze. It doesn't look tainted, rather a quite high-class tint. Otherwise perfectly clear and free of sediment. Louched, milky white with a slight bronze undertone. Glints of gold and grey/violet at the edges give the final color some three dimensionality. Nicely vibrant, and although not textbook color, very attractive.
Louche
Nice thick oily looking trails and good layering immediately. Nice refractions, especially in a bubble glass. Cloudiness builds quickly on the bottom and it all starts to go opaque by 1/1. While it's going, it is fun to watch. The final "weight" of the louche is just right. Typical of Mr. Breaux's work in this area.
Aroma
Now here's a new twist for me in a blanche. Instead of the usual up-front presence of anise and fennel, this is very wormwood forward. Herbal, floral, very alpiney. Anise and fennel are there in good support, but there's no doubt that this is a wormwood drink. Show this to n00bs to illustrate alpine. The sense of flowers here is just amazing. Not just bright like a typical La Bleu. More tan and woody tones. The grape base is evident.
Flavor
Mouthfeel is nice and creamy. Wormwood, fennel up front. Anise is there, but secondary. Lots of dusty tan flavors... hay, straw, florals, chamomile. The anise makes itself known in the form of a prickliness on the palate, the intensity of which is dependent on dilution. A slightly earthy underpinning, probably the grape base, talking again.
Finish
A nice fade from all of the nose and palate impressions. Really easy "pull" and drying on the palate and tongue. There's a lingering sweetness from the anise and fennel that balances this nicely.
Overall
Well now, this is certainly a blanche of a different color. I really like this. It's more like a winter blanche. This is not frail, at all. There's lots of stuffing to this one. It's sophisticated, serious, and settled. Very grown up. It needs water, and at least 4/1, in my opinion. This drink is all about the wormwood and florals, so that dilution where the prickle of the anise settles down, is the perfect point. I wouldn't want to fight its nature by under watering it.
2/11/10 Revisit - Just to make sure I am certain how I feel about this, I have also louched up short doses of two others of my favorite blanches, to serve as a comparison. And interestingly, what I find is that I really like all three, but the Blanchette seems to combine the best aspects of the others. In aromatics and flavor, this really has it all. From base to top notes, there is a clarity, definition, delineation, and consistent character that makes this first class. Most of my original comments remain the same with the exception of added comments in "Louche" and "Aroma". Score changes have been made to "Color" and to "Aroma" to reflect my current observations. Although I personally do not find the color off-putting, I realize now that with the tint mentioned, it does not deserve a 4.
Changes to my initial scoring are:
Color - Changed from 4 to 3.
Aroma - Changed from 4 to 5.
Overall Rating - Remains the same at 4.2.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3/1, 4/1, and 5/1 and no sugar.
Blanchette 12/17/08, 1/10/09, 2/15/09, 2/11/10
All evaluations had consistent notes
Unlouched, clear with a slight tinge of gold/bronze. It doesn't look tainted, rather a quite high-class tint. Otherwise perfectly clear and free of sediment. Louched, milky white with a slight bronze undertone. Glints of gold and grey/violet at the edges give the final color some three dimensionality. Nicely vibrant, and although not textbook color, very attractive.
Louche
Nice thick oily looking trails and good layering immediately. Nice refractions, especially in a bubble glass. Cloudiness builds quickly on the bottom and it all starts to go opaque by 1/1. While it's going, it is fun to watch. The final "weight" of the louche is just right. Typical of Mr. Breaux's work in this area.
Aroma
Now here's a new twist for me in a blanche. Instead of the usual up-front presence of anise and fennel, this is very wormwood forward. Herbal, floral, very alpiney. Anise and fennel are there in good support, but there's no doubt that this is a wormwood drink. Show this to n00bs to illustrate alpine. The sense of flowers here is just amazing. Not just bright like a typical La Bleu. More tan and woody tones. The grape base is evident.
Flavor
Mouthfeel is nice and creamy. Wormwood, fennel up front. Anise is there, but secondary. Lots of dusty tan flavors... hay, straw, florals, chamomile. The anise makes itself known in the form of a prickliness on the palate, the intensity of which is dependent on dilution. A slightly earthy underpinning, probably the grape base, talking again.
Finish
A nice fade from all of the nose and palate impressions. Really easy "pull" and drying on the palate and tongue. There's a lingering sweetness from the anise and fennel that balances this nicely.
Overall
Well now, this is certainly a blanche of a different color. I really like this. It's more like a winter blanche. This is not frail, at all. There's lots of stuffing to this one. It's sophisticated, serious, and settled. Very grown up. It needs water, and at least 4/1, in my opinion. This drink is all about the wormwood and florals, so that dilution where the prickle of the anise settles down, is the perfect point. I wouldn't want to fight its nature by under watering it.
2/11/10 Revisit - Just to make sure I am certain how I feel about this, I have also louched up short doses of two others of my favorite blanches, to serve as a comparison. And interestingly, what I find is that I really like all three, but the Blanchette seems to combine the best aspects of the others. In aromatics and flavor, this really has it all. From base to top notes, there is a clarity, definition, delineation, and consistent character that makes this first class. Most of my original comments remain the same with the exception of added comments in "Louche" and "Aroma". Score changes have been made to "Color" and to "Aroma" to reflect my current observations. Although I personally do not find the color off-putting, I realize now that with the tint mentioned, it does not deserve a 4.
Changes to my initial scoring are:
Color - Changed from 4 to 3.
Aroma - Changed from 4 to 5.
Overall Rating - Remains the same at 4.2.
Done with a 1 ounce dose, diluted 3/1, 4/1, and 5/1 and no sugar.
Blanchette 12/17/08, 1/10/09, 2/15/09, 2/11/10
All evaluations had consistent notes
M
A very nice Blanche
(Updated: July 09, 2010)
Overall rating
4.5
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
5.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color: Unlike some bottles that I've seen with a yellow tinge to them, this bottle was clear and bright with no visible sediment.
Louche: Very well formed and thick. Deep and milky opalescence with just a hint of blueish hue. Very inviting.
Aroma: Nice, refreshing alpine aroma. The wormwood comes out well, and the anise plays a great supporting role.
Flavor: At first sip, the wormwood is prominant with vegetal undertones. The anise is well balanced and not cloying. Overall, the blending of the herbs creates a very nice marriage of sweetness and bitterness.
Finish: Clean and crisp with an enjoyable lingering taste of wormwood.
Overall: This is a very nice blanche. Whenever I am in the mood for a blanche, this is the first one I think of.
Louche: Very well formed and thick. Deep and milky opalescence with just a hint of blueish hue. Very inviting.
Aroma: Nice, refreshing alpine aroma. The wormwood comes out well, and the anise plays a great supporting role.
Flavor: At first sip, the wormwood is prominant with vegetal undertones. The anise is well balanced and not cloying. Overall, the blending of the herbs creates a very nice marriage of sweetness and bitterness.
Finish: Clean and crisp with an enjoyable lingering taste of wormwood.
Overall: This is a very nice blanche. Whenever I am in the mood for a blanche, this is the first one I think of.
User reviews
5 reviews
Overall rating
3.9
Appearance
3.8(5)
Louche
4.4(5)
Aroma
3.8(5)
Flavor / Mouthfeel
3.9(5)
Finish
3.9(5)
Overall
3.8(5)
Unique Blanche
Overall rating
4.0
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color: Very clear color. Looks almost like water or vodka. Small distillate floating in suspension but not much. Very small and very imperceptible.
Louche: The louche starts well paced. The oil trails act up a bit then it clouds up in a smoke-type way. Reminds me of dry ice a bit. At 1:3 the louche is fairly thick with a tint at the top and overall cloudy louche as opposed to a milky one.
Aroma: Peppery and floral. Anise and fennel detected but not out front. Different but not off in any way.
Flavor: Very sweet without any sugar. Floral and anise sweetness hit first giving way to a peppery bitterness. Not too complex but still stands out among blanches with a unique taste.
Finish: The finish builds slowly and is pleasing. It lasts a good while and is very smooth. It doesn't change much from the flavor but that's not a bad thing at all.
Overall: Smooth and well done. I like this blanche quite a bit. It is not complex and doesn't surprise in any way but is very well done for aiming at a slightly different blanche taste.
Louche: The louche starts well paced. The oil trails act up a bit then it clouds up in a smoke-type way. Reminds me of dry ice a bit. At 1:3 the louche is fairly thick with a tint at the top and overall cloudy louche as opposed to a milky one.
Aroma: Peppery and floral. Anise and fennel detected but not out front. Different but not off in any way.
Flavor: Very sweet without any sugar. Floral and anise sweetness hit first giving way to a peppery bitterness. Not too complex but still stands out among blanches with a unique taste.
Finish: The finish builds slowly and is pleasing. It lasts a good while and is very smooth. It doesn't change much from the flavor but that's not a bad thing at all.
Overall: Smooth and well done. I like this blanche quite a bit. It is not complex and doesn't surprise in any way but is very well done for aiming at a slightly different blanche taste.
E
Delicious.
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
Color: The color of my Blanchette came out to be perfectly clear. As clear as the glass, with the very slightest of glittering particles in it. I've been reading about the beauty of a martini is because of how "still" and crystal it is...the color is definitely like that.
Louche: Slowly brewing storms, wispy smoke trails; the creaminess will rise from the bottom to fill the glass, only to have a thicker, more opaque white rise to fill the glass again...I saw this happen two or three times, finally transforming to a glowing, pure white. Really beautiful.
Aroma: My first reaction was "WHOA!" The aroma is very expansive, with peppery, warm anise and a "murkiness", followed by a nice dose of lemon balm.
Flavor: Sweet and warm and a bit of a "tang". I experienced many of the physical qualities I feel from taking a shot of alcohol, but without the bad taste, wincing, or pain. I had to take care not to overwater though; with the addition of more water, the anise was more pronounced but it loses the good qualities from the alcohol and just begins to taste more like alcohol.
Finish: Fresh and numb, continued "tanginess". The feeling sticks around for a while, but sadly, the flavors don't stick around for long.
Overall: Very clean and smooth. I'd call this a good, solid blanche.
Louche: Slowly brewing storms, wispy smoke trails; the creaminess will rise from the bottom to fill the glass, only to have a thicker, more opaque white rise to fill the glass again...I saw this happen two or three times, finally transforming to a glowing, pure white. Really beautiful.
Aroma: My first reaction was "WHOA!" The aroma is very expansive, with peppery, warm anise and a "murkiness", followed by a nice dose of lemon balm.
Flavor: Sweet and warm and a bit of a "tang". I experienced many of the physical qualities I feel from taking a shot of alcohol, but without the bad taste, wincing, or pain. I had to take care not to overwater though; with the addition of more water, the anise was more pronounced but it loses the good qualities from the alcohol and just begins to taste more like alcohol.
Finish: Fresh and numb, continued "tanginess". The feeling sticks around for a while, but sadly, the flavors don't stick around for long.
Overall: Very clean and smooth. I'd call this a good, solid blanche.
A
One of My Favorite Blanches
(Updated: January 05, 2013)
Overall rating
4.3
Appearance
4.0
Louche
5.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
4.5
Finish
4.5
Overall
4.0
Color: Perfectly clear with no sediment. It looked like nothing was in the glass.
Louche: A superior louche. This builds at a pace that is neither too slow nor too fast, just right! Rolling clouds and bits of smoky wisps. Opalescent and just the right thickness.
Aroma: Delicate alpine aroma with quality wormwood and anise are very inviting. Clean, crisp and fresh.
Flavor: It's nice to taste wormwood up front in a blanche! The anise is clear and present as well, in a refined, sweet harmony. A light peppery spice and citrus edge. Delicious.
Finish: Wonderful. Wormwood is clear here as in the flavor and aroma. It pulls at you, building slowly to a light pinch on the tongue with a light spice and citrus that hangs in there nicely, then slowly fades.
Overall: It's refreshing and very tasty. If you normally don't like blanches, you may enjoy this, as it's a bit different than most.
*EDIT: I changed the louche to a 5 from a 4. I'm now on my 2nd bottle, and the louche is better than I first realized. This is one of my 3 top blanches, La Maison Fontaine and Blanche traditionelee being the other 2. Blanchette is in good company.
Louche: A superior louche. This builds at a pace that is neither too slow nor too fast, just right! Rolling clouds and bits of smoky wisps. Opalescent and just the right thickness.
Aroma: Delicate alpine aroma with quality wormwood and anise are very inviting. Clean, crisp and fresh.
Flavor: It's nice to taste wormwood up front in a blanche! The anise is clear and present as well, in a refined, sweet harmony. A light peppery spice and citrus edge. Delicious.
Finish: Wonderful. Wormwood is clear here as in the flavor and aroma. It pulls at you, building slowly to a light pinch on the tongue with a light spice and citrus that hangs in there nicely, then slowly fades.
Overall: It's refreshing and very tasty. If you normally don't like blanches, you may enjoy this, as it's a bit different than most.
*EDIT: I changed the louche to a 5 from a 4. I'm now on my 2nd bottle, and the louche is better than I first realized. This is one of my 3 top blanches, La Maison Fontaine and Blanche traditionelee being the other 2. Blanchette is in good company.
S
Unique blanche
(Updated: May 07, 2009)
Overall rating
4.2
Appearance
4.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
4.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
5.0
Finish
4.0
Overall
4.0
-Color-
Before water: clear, with a very minor beige tint. I was expecting worse from older pictures. The tint that I experience is very subtle, but it’s present so I can’t give it a 5 like most other blanches get by default.
After water: a good, thick blanche/glowing white with subtle blue and gold-brown highlights.
-Louche-
Very nice thick blue-gray trails with classic instant “invisi-layer†towards the top. Could be a little bit more interesting weather patterns in the clouds, but it layers nicely and is fun to watch.
-Aroma-
Before water, a very interesting wormwood aroma, other herbs, what might be grape alcohol base. After water, an almost Sharpie-marker-like, yet floral scent from the A.a.; fennel, and anise.
-Flavor-
Very floral wormwood, reminiscent of the really tasty Pontarlier stuff in Emile Pernot beverages- yet, it’s more smooth and light here, rather than the more herby-earthy character I get from EP absinthes. Behind the A.a. is the anise and fennel, seemingly in equal measure, with some other minor herbal notes in the distant background.
-Finish-
Nice, smooth finish, but I wish it had a notch or two more of staying power.
-Overall-
Very tasty. However, when I first opened the bottle, I had little experience with A.a. forward absinthes, and the “black magic marker†note was more chemical than herbal tasting to me. I wasn’t a fan. However, as the weeks went by, it really opened up and I was able to appreciate its unique and floral character. This is definitely NOT a La Bleu style blanche. I think that this, along with a few Pernot absinthes, have really helped inform my palate where wormwood is concerned.
Notes: No bottle date. Bottle opened Feb 2008, tasted Feb through Sept 2008. Louched 3:1 with medium fountain drip, no sugar.
Before water: clear, with a very minor beige tint. I was expecting worse from older pictures. The tint that I experience is very subtle, but it’s present so I can’t give it a 5 like most other blanches get by default.
After water: a good, thick blanche/glowing white with subtle blue and gold-brown highlights.
-Louche-
Very nice thick blue-gray trails with classic instant “invisi-layer†towards the top. Could be a little bit more interesting weather patterns in the clouds, but it layers nicely and is fun to watch.
-Aroma-
Before water, a very interesting wormwood aroma, other herbs, what might be grape alcohol base. After water, an almost Sharpie-marker-like, yet floral scent from the A.a.; fennel, and anise.
-Flavor-
Very floral wormwood, reminiscent of the really tasty Pontarlier stuff in Emile Pernot beverages- yet, it’s more smooth and light here, rather than the more herby-earthy character I get from EP absinthes. Behind the A.a. is the anise and fennel, seemingly in equal measure, with some other minor herbal notes in the distant background.
-Finish-
Nice, smooth finish, but I wish it had a notch or two more of staying power.
-Overall-
Very tasty. However, when I first opened the bottle, I had little experience with A.a. forward absinthes, and the “black magic marker†note was more chemical than herbal tasting to me. I wasn’t a fan. However, as the weeks went by, it really opened up and I was able to appreciate its unique and floral character. This is definitely NOT a La Bleu style blanche. I think that this, along with a few Pernot absinthes, have really helped inform my palate where wormwood is concerned.
Notes: No bottle date. Bottle opened Feb 2008, tasted Feb through Sept 2008. Louched 3:1 with medium fountain drip, no sugar.
G
Not one of Breaux's best
Overall rating
3.0
Appearance
3.0
Louche
4.0
Aroma
3.0
Flavor / Mouthfeel
2.0
Finish
3.0
Overall
3.0
The coloring is almost clear, with a very slight yellow tinge that I didn't mind. Once louched, the yellow tinge was gone and the absinthe took on a nearly perfect louche similar to that of other Blanche absinthes I have tried.
The flavor is where I had the biggest problem, I just couldnt get it right. Without sugar, I found it overly bitter and not enjoyable at all, even when diluted very thin. With sugar, it takes on an overly sweet candy like flavor that I didnt care for either (this was with just one sugar cube).
Maybe I had a tainted bottle, but I really didnt care for Blachette. It wasn't horrible, but I definitely rank it the lowest among the authentic absinthes I have tried and it is not something I will purchase again. I drank it with very high expectations, given the experience I have had with Breaux's products and the awards this absinthe has won. I really tried to enjoy it, but I just couldnt.
The flavor is where I had the biggest problem, I just couldnt get it right. Without sugar, I found it overly bitter and not enjoyable at all, even when diluted very thin. With sugar, it takes on an overly sweet candy like flavor that I didnt care for either (this was with just one sugar cube).
Maybe I had a tainted bottle, but I really didnt care for Blachette. It wasn't horrible, but I definitely rank it the lowest among the authentic absinthes I have tried and it is not something I will purchase again. I drank it with very high expectations, given the experience I have had with Breaux's products and the awards this absinthe has won. I really tried to enjoy it, but I just couldnt.
B